Elon Musk is making headlines with a staggering net worth of $409 billion, as reported by Forbes. Meanwhile, Melinda French Gates, co-founder of the Gates Foundation and former wife of Bill Gates, is right behind Musk, projected to become the world’s third-richest individual with a net worth of $300 billion.
Take a step back in time to 1986, when Microsoft went public. Bill Gates owned 11.2 million shares—almost 49% of the company—valued at approximately $200 million back then. Fast forward to today: had he retained all those shares through various stock splits, his and Melinda’s holdings would balloon to an impressive 3.2 billion shares, constituting a 43% stake worth an estimated $1.4 trillion.
In addition to the astonishing value of their stake, the couple could have accrued around $100 billion in after-tax dividends over the years, positioning Bill firmly among the wealthiest, with only 18 billionaires surpassing him globally, according to Forbes.
However, rather than hoarding his wealth, Gates has been on a journey of giving, gradually selling and donating his shares over the years. Today, he holds only 0.9% of Microsoft, valued at $28 billion, which constitutes about a quarter of his net worth. Melinda possesses 380,000 shares worth around $170 million, a fraction of her wealth.
Since its establishment in 2000, the Gates Foundation has received a remarkable $60.2 billion in donations from the couple, making them the second-largest philanthropists in the U.S., following Warren Buffett.
In a bold commitment made in May, Gates pledged to donate an astonishing 99% of his more than $100 billion fortune over the next two decades to further bolster charitable initiatives through the Gates Foundation. Meanwhile, Melinda is no slouch either; she launched her own initiative, Pivotal Philanthropies, in 2022 and announced a $1 billion commitment over the next three years specifically to advocate for women’s and girls’ rights. “We all have power,” she stated in a March interview with Elle. “But there are barriers in society that often keep women from using our full power. Our job is to help remove those barriers.”
What is Elon Musk’s current estimated net worth?
Musk is valued at approximately $409 billion according to Forbes.
How much have Bill and Melinda Gates donated over the years?
The couple has together donated around $60.2 billion since establishing the Gates Foundation in 2000.
What initiative has Melinda Gates launched?
Melinda founded Pivotal Philanthropies in 2022, pledging $1 billion over three years to support women’s and girls’ rights.
