Bill Gates is no longer among the world’s ten richest individuals. According to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, as of July 8, Gates now holds the 12th spot with an estimated net worth of $124 billion. Notably, he ranks below Michael Dell and his former Microsoft colleague Steve Ballmer, who now sits comfortably at number 5 with a fortune of $172 billion.
The sharp decline in Gates’s ranking is primarily due to a revised calculation of his net worth, which reflects a reduction of approximately $52 billion. Bloomberg adjusted its estimates to account more accurately for Gates’s extensive philanthropic efforts.
The updated valuation aligns with Gates’s long-standing public commitment to give away the majority of his wealth. As of last year, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation reported that the co-founders had donated over $60 billion to various causes. Furthermore, in May 2025, the foundation announced plans to significantly accelerate its mission by allocating $200 billion over the next two decades. This decision sets 2045 as the year to sunset the foundation’s operations.
Former Employee Overtakes Microsoft Founder
In a twist of irony, Steve Ballmer—who once served as CEO of Microsoft under Gates—has now surpassed his former boss in terms of wealth. Ballmer’s net worth of $172 billion places him just behind tech giants like Elon Musk ($253 billion), Mark Zuckerberg ($253 billion), Larry Ellison ($248 billion), and Jeff Bezos ($244 billion).
Gates also trails behind other high-profile billionaires including Sergey Brin, Warren Buffett, and Michael Dell. While Gates’s philanthropic pursuits may have reduced his ranking, they’ve undoubtedly increased his legacy in a different realm—global giving.
