Once the world’s richest man for over a decade, Gates has gradually slipped down the list amid changing market dynamics, major philanthropic donations, and the meteoric rise of tech and luxury moguls.
According to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Gates has been overtaken by a wave of ultra-wealthy individuals from sectors such as fashion, luxury goods, and electric vehicles, including names like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, and Mark Zuckerberg.
His net worth, currently estimated at around $123 billion, remains massive but no longer places him in the top tier of global wealth.
Gates’ wealth slump traced to charity
One key reason behind Gates’ decline in ranking is his sustained commitment to philanthropy. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he has donated tens of billions of dollars to global health, education, and development causes voluntarily reducing his personal fortune over time.
According to an analysis, Gates’ fortune was reduced by over $50 billion, almost by 30% this week.
This recalculation shrank his net worth from over $175 billion to $123 billion, moving him from fifth to twelfth place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Steve Ballmer, his former assistant and successor as Microsoft’s former CEO, with a net worth of $172 billion, replaced Gates in the fifth spot.
While his drop from the top 10 marks the end of an era, Gates remains one of the most influential figures in tech and philanthropy.
His focus in recent years has shifted away from corporate leadership to global health, climate innovation, and education reform which are priorities that have increasingly defined his legacy over net worth.
Bill Gates has also renewed his focus on Africa by pledging to direct the majority of his $200 billion fortune over the next 20 years toward the continent, targeting health, education, and innovation.
According to the most recent Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the table below presents the top 10 richest men in the world as of July 8, 2025.
| Rank | Name | Total Net Worth ($) | Country/Region | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Elon Musk |
$349B |
United States |
Technology |
|
2 |
Mark Zuckerberg |
$254B |
United States |
Technology |
|
3 |
Larry Ellison |
$250B |
United States |
Technology |
|
4 |
Jeff Bezos |
$240B |
United States |
Technology |
|
5 |
Steve Ballmer |
$171B |
United States |
Technology |
|
6 |
Bernard Arnault |
$159B |
France |
Consumer |
|
7 |
Larry Page |
$158B |
United States |
Technology |
|
8 |
Sergey Brin |
$149B |
United States |
Technology |
|
9 |
Warren Buffett |
$143B |
United States |
Diversified |
|
10 |
Jensen Huang |
$140B |
United States |
Technology |
