Bill Gates pledges to give away $200bn fortune by 2045 to world's poorest

Bill Gates pledges to donate nearly all wealth by 2045, with $200B to aid world’s poorest as his foundation nears end.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates announced Thursday that he will give away nearly all of his personal wealth over the next two decades, pledging that his fortune will not outlive him.

The 69-year-old Microsoft co-founder plans to shut down the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on December 31, 2045, after distributing around $200 billion to global health, poverty, and education initiatives.

“People will say a lot of things about me when I die, but I am determined that ‘he died rich’ will not be one of them,” Gates wrote in a statement on his website.

“There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold onto resources that could be used to help people.”

Gates made the announcement on the 25th anniversary of the foundation he established with his then-wife Melinda French Gates in 2000.

Since its creation, the foundation has disbursed more than $100 billion, funding life-saving programmes like Gavi, the vaccine alliance, and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

The latest pledge is a sharp response to what Gates views as a global retreat from foreign aid, citing cuts by major donors including the U.S., U.K., and France.

Without naming him directly, Gates criticised former U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal of international health funding, calling into question whether wealthy nations will continue to support vulnerable populations.

“It’s unclear whether the world’s richest countries will continue to stand up for its poorest people,” Gates warned. “But even with our foundation’s deep pockets, we cannot fill these gaps alone.”

Gates also acknowledged criticisms the foundation has faced, particularly regarding its influence in global health governance and its controversial role during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nonetheless, he stood firm in his belief that strategic philanthropy can make meaningful change — if backed by governments.

Currently worth an estimated $108 billion, Gates intends to spend down 99% of his fortune through the foundation.

The organization’s annual budget is expected to reach $9 billion by 2026, making it one of the most significant forces in global philanthropy until its closure in 2045.

He ended his message with a call to action: “I hope other wealthy people consider how much they can accelerate progress for the world’s poorest if they increased the pace and scale of their giving.”