Bill Gates Pledges 99% of Wealth to Gates Foundation, To Shut by 2045

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has pledged 99% of his remaining wealth—estimated to be over $100 billion—to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He announced that the foundation will cease operations by December 31, 2045. This decision accelerates the foundation's original timeline, which was previously set to close two decades after Gates’ death.

This pledge ranks among the largest philanthropic commitments in modern history, second only to Warren Buffett’s plan to donate his $160 billion fortune, depending on market conditions.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Gates said, “It’s thrilling to be able to do so much for these causes.”

Shift Toward Urgency

In a recent blog post, Gates wrote, “I have so many essential problems to solve that I can't hold back resources that could be used to help people. So, I’ve decided to give my money back to society faster than I originally planned.”

According to Gates, the foundation has already spent over $100 billion and is now preparing to invest an additional $200 billion over the next 20 years. The focus will remain on critical global challenges like health, disease eradication, maternal and child mortality, and poverty alleviation.