Bill Gates Net Worth; How One Of The Richest Men On Earth Spends His Money in 2024 - Financesonline.com (2024)

Bill Gates.

No world’s rich list has featured this name outside the top three in the last 10 years. Even more, Bill Gates has never ranked lower than second since 2012. A remarkable feat given the competition he has faced from other billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zukerberg.

There is no doubt; Bill Gates is one of the world’s wealthiest individuals. But can he be the wealthiest person in the world, again?

Who is Bill Gates

William Henry Gates III, popularly known as Bill Gates, is a famous American business magnate, philanthropist, investor, author, and humanitarian. The Microsoft co-founder is an acclaimed sophom*ore and arguably the most successful Harvard dropout the world has ever seen. Born in 1955, in Seattle, Washington, the American entrepreneur rose from obscurity to prominence in a decade.

In school, Bill once told his teachers that he would become a millionaire by the time he is 30 years. While the teachers thought this was utter bragging, Bill Gates meant his words. In fact, Bill Gates became a billionaire at the age of 31. To put this into perspective, he became the world’s youngest billionaire 11 years after founding Microsoft.

The business magnate built the technology empire from scratch providing machines and innovations that have, without a doubt, revolutionized the way we do things. Mr. Gates’ has had remarkable contributions to computing, computer software, consumer electronics, and entertainment alike.

Interestingly, Bill Gates’ net worth has grown tremendously over the last couple of years. Most notably, in April 2019 he became only the second man, after Jeff Bezos, to join the ultra-exclusive 12-figure billionaire club. Specifically, as of July 2019, Bill Gates real-time net worth was $104.7 billion, ranking second only after Jeff Bezos ($153.2 billion), according to Forbes.

So what makes Bill Gates the second richest person in the world?

Microsoft

While it is not the sole source of Bill Gates’ income, Microsoft is regarded as the venture that propelled Mr. Gates to the world’s wealthiest echelon. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft has proliferated to become an industry behemoth that rules the waves in cloud computing, internet technology, software development, and mobile communications.

The company has progressed in leaps and bounds, crushing competitors along the way, and prevailing early calls for break up to become the giant it is today. As of April 2019, the tech giant commanded a market capitalization of over $1 Trillion, becoming the world’s most valuable company. Surprisingly, only 12.5% of Bill Gates’ net worth comes from the Microsoft venture.

So where does the rest of his wealth come from?

Apparently, Microsoft has formulated numerous strategic mergers and notable acquisitions aimed at deepening its dominance. Some of its significant additions include:

LinkedIn

Founded in 2002, LinkedIn is a popular social website for professionals. The employment and business-oriented social channel is the 27th most popular website on the internet in the world, according to Alexa.com. In 2016, Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in a deal worth an estimated $26.2 billion.

With over 590 million registered users, LinkedIn boosts efficiency in many of Microsoft’s platforms. Most importantly, it generates a sizeable revenue for Microsoft. For example, in 2016, LinkedIn generated $960 million from Talent Solutions, $109 million from ads and marketing, and $162 million from its Premium Subscriptions.

Skype Technologies

Skype is a popular video conferencing platform founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennstrom and Junas Friis. Initially, the platform was operating as a file-sharing platform, but later, it evolved to become a powerful video conferencing tool. Its tremendous growth caught the eyes of developers at Microsoft, and in 2011, Microsoft acquired Skype in a deal worth $8.65 billion. Amazingly, two years after the acquisition, Skype had already surpassed the $2 billion sales mark. Since then, the channel has grown, but so has its competitors, and it’s difficult to estimate its annual revenue today.

Other notable acquisitions

Owing to its financial muscle, Microsoft has never shied away from acquiring ventures that boost the company’s growth. Over the years, the tech giant has established its footprints in different verticals with unique acquisitions and mergers, including:

• GitHub (2018, $7.5 billion)
• Majong (2014, $2.5billion)
• Nokia (2013, $9.4 billion)
• Yammer; (2012, $1.2 billion)
• Aquantive (2007, $5.9 billion)
• Hotmail (1997, $400 million)
• Navision (2002, $1.3 billion)
• Great Plains Software (2000, $1.3 billion)
• Visio (1999, $1.3 billion)

To date, Microsoft has acquired over 222 organizations, according to CrunchBase. The most recent acquisition is BlueTalon, which Microsoft acquired in July 2019 for $27.4 million. There is no doubt, Microsoft has spread its wings in multiple niches, cementing Bill Gates’ position as a renowned business magnate. With the mammoth size of his business empire, Bill Gates is projected to hit the one trillion mark by the time he is 86 years.

Real Estate Assets

Aside from his business empire, Bill Gates has an insanely extravagant real estate portfolio. Here are some of the standout Bill Gates’ properties:

Xanadu 2.0 (Medina, Washington)

Xanadu 2.0 is the official residence of the Bill Gates located in Medina, Washington. The colossal 66,000 square foot stunning home is valued at $127 million (as of 2018). This behemoth of home took the world wealthiest man 7 years and a staggering $63 million to build. Not to mention the $2 million he spent to acquire the land. But it proved to be money and time well-spent, as the exquisite home sparkles with high-tech features, all corners.

The cutting-edge smart mansion has seven bedrooms, a cavernous 1900 square-foot guest hall for up to 200 guests, a 60-foot swimming pool, six kitchens, and 24 bathrooms. If you think these features are astonishing, then, the high-tech sensor system will drop your jaws. Apparently, the system helps guests monitor the lighting and the room’s climate. Moreover, the house has a room with a 20-foot ceiling to accommodate a trampoline.

There numerous computer screens around the house estimated to be worth $80,000. Other stunning features include an elegant home theater finished with 20 plush seats, an enormous library, and a pool with an underwater music system.

Rancho Paseana (California)

Another expensive property in Bill Gates portfolio is the Rancho Pasaena. Previously owned by Jenny Craig, Bill Gates acquired this farm in 2014 for an estimated $18 million. As you may expect, the property is filled to the brim with unique features. It includes a guesthouse, a racetrack, veterinarian’s suite, office, orchard, and five barns. The buildings in the Rancho Paseana are kitted out with equestrian decor that’s worth the taste of a classy billionaire.

Horse Farm (Wellington, Florida)

In addition to the Rancho Paseana, Bill Gates has another horse farm in Florida. Mr. Gates acquired the farm before the Rancho Paseana in 2013 for $8.7 million. Bill Gates bought the wellington horse farm to support the endeavors of his daughter Jennifer who is an avid equestrian.

Wyoming Ranch

Bill Gates bought the Wyoming Ranch, from its previous owner; William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, in 2009. The exact amount that Gates paid to for this property is not known. However, the property was formerly listed for $8.9 million.

Bill Gates’ seemingly love for farms doesn’t end with the Wyoming Ranch. The billionaire is said to have purchased approximately 4,500 acres of land in Florida. It’s reported that Mr. Gates paid $28 million for the piece of farmland through an unnamed subsidiary his private investment firm, Cascade.

Bill Gates As An Investor

Beyond his real estate portfolio, Bill Gates has made numerous secretive investments via his private investment firm known as Cascade. Some of the investment made under Cascade include partial ownership of Charles Hotel in Massachusetts and nearly 50% ownership of the Four Seasons Holding’s hotel. Rumor has it that Mr. Gates together with Saudi Arabia’s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal shares 95% ownership of the hotel located in Houston and Atlanta.

Moreover, Bill Gates, together with a group of other undisclosed investors, paid $161 million to acquire the Ritz-Carlton hotel in San Francisco. As of 2018, the hotel had gained value to reach $200 million, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Away from the hotel business, Mr. Gates, together with 20 other investors, launched a $1 billion fund dubbed Breakthrough Energy.

Bill Gates “Toy” Collection

For a man who makes approximately, $130 per second, you’d only expect him to own a collection of swanky cars. True to the expectation, the smart billionaire parking lot is a mesmerizing sight of old and new luxurious and vehicles.One thing that sets Mr. Gates from other billionaires is that his collection features only a few of the world most expensive supercars.

Bill Gates favorite ride is a Porsche 959 Coupe worth $400,000. The Porsche is a rare breed of a car; in fact, there are only about 230 in the world. The lack of an official crash-testing rating for the Porsche 959 Coupe put Mr. Gates in a legal dispute with the government. Eventually, Bill Clinton passed a federal law to allow Bill Gates to drive this luxury car.

In addition, Bill Gates owns a customized Porsche 911 Carrera, and Porsche 930 acquired in his early Microsoft days. Additionally, his collection includes Ferrari 348, Ford Focus, and Jaguar XJ6, to name a few.

Bill Gates doesn’t just drive lavishly; he also flies one of the most expensive private jets. The Microsoft mogul owns a $40 million, Bombardier BD-700 Global Express. The private jet is big enough to accommodate 19 people.

As An Art Collector

Bill Gates is also an avid art collector. And has multiple pieces of expensive arts sitting around the house. They include $36 million ‘Lost on the Grand Banks’ by Winslow Homer, $28 million ‘Polo Crowd’ painting by George Bellows, $10 million ‘The Nursery’ painting by William Merritt Chase, and $20 million ‘Room of Flowers’ painting by Frederick Childe Hassam.

Better still, the 2,100 square foot library in his official residence houses the ‘Codex Leicester’ a 16th century Leonardo Da Vinci manuscript. Bill Gates paid $30 for the manuscript at an auction in 1994.

A Big Heart For Philanthropy

Aside from being a corporate head honcho, Bill is also very active in the field of philanthropy. Supposedly, t is his big heart as a philanthropist that nudged him to quit as the Microsoft CEO to concentrate on the Bil and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Microsoft cofounder has poured billions to charitable causes all over the world via the Foundation, a charity arm co-founded and headed by Bill and his wife Melinda Gates in 1997. To date, the couple has donated more than $35 billion worth of funds to the foundation.

Here are some of the foundation’s recent donations and pledges to their causes.

Genetically enhanced “Super Bananas” – $10 Million

This project aims to produce an improved variant of Ugandan bananas enriched with Vitamin A. Bananas are a staple food in many African countries, yet it lacks the nutrients required for daily human energy consumption, particularly Vitamin A. Low intake of the said vitamin leads to a weakened immune system and blindness. The consumption of the super bananas showed positive signs when fed to Mongolian gerbils. The $10-million “Super Bananas” project is a partnership between the Gates Foundation and the Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities at the Queensland University of Technology in Australia.

Malaria Research – $258.3 Million

Gates is very passionate about ending the malaria epidemic in Africa and the rest of the world. Describing malaria as the “forgotten epidemic,” the billionaire has pledged a total of $258.3 million for the research and development of a malaria vaccine, new drugs, and innovative mosquito control methods. “If we expand malaria control programs, and invest what’s needed in R&D, we can stop this tragedy,” said Gates.

Renewable Energy Funding – $35 Million

Bill Gates, together with other stakeholders, has invested $35 million for the research and development of the Aqueous Hybrid Ion (AHI) battery technology. The company behind the project, Aquion Energy, claims that AHI will have positive impacts and may help curb the world’s dependence on traditional energy sources and storage systems. AHI, according to the company, is “optimized for stationary energy storage applications including off-grid and micro-grid systems, commercial and industrial energy storage, and grid-scale applications.”

What does The Future Hold for Mr. Gates?

Bill Gates is facing fierce competition from Jeff Bezos, and their fight for the top spot is set to go on for years. It’s hard to tell what will befall the Microsoft cofounder in the near future. Whether or not he will reclaim the top position in the world rich list is something we’ll wait and see. However, Mr. Gates has been in a similar situation in 2008 when Mark Zukerberg overtook him to claim the top spot. Experience is the best teacher, and Just maybe, the Microsoft mogul has a card left, and he is just taking time to draw the perfect move.

Come what may, Bill Gates legacy as the world wealthiest and renowned philanthropist will live on for many years to comes. There is no doubt that many will remember Gates as the world’s richest man, the co-founder, and leader of Microsoft, and the generous benefactor who championed causes to better and push humanity forward.

Key Insights

• Net Worth: As of 2019, Bill Gates’ net worth is $104.7 billion, making him the second richest person globally, trailing Jeff Bezos.
• Business Ventures: Gates’ wealth primarily stems from his co-founding of Microsoft, but he has diversified his investments significantly, including major acquisitions like LinkedIn and Skype.
• Real Estate: Gates owns several high-value properties, including his primary residence Xanadu 2.0 in Washington, Rancho Paseana in California, and additional farms in Florida and Wyoming.
• Investments: Through his private investment firm, Cascade, Gates has stakes in numerous ventures, including luxury hotels and a significant share in the Four Seasons Hotels.
• Luxury Assets: His collection includes rare and expensive cars like the Porsche 959 Coupe, a private jet, and high-value art pieces.
• Philanthropy: Gates, alongside his wife Melinda, has donated over $35 billion through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, supporting various causes like malaria research, renewable energy, and improving nutrition in developing countries.
• Future Outlook: Despite fierce competition from other billionaires, Gates’ legacy in technology, philanthropy, and business innovation is expected to endure.

FAQ

1. What is Bill Gates’ net worth in 2019? Bill Gates’ net worth in 2019 is $104.7 billion.
2. What is the primary source of Bill Gates’ wealth? The primary source of Bill Gates’ wealth is Microsoft, though he has significantly diversified his investments over the years.
3. What notable acquisitions has Microsoft made under Gates’ influence? Notable acquisitions include LinkedIn for $26.2 billion, Skype for $8.65 billion, and GitHub for $7.5 billion, among others.
4. What are some of Bill Gates’ notable real estate holdings? Gates’ notable real estate holdings include Xanadu 2.0 in Washington, Rancho Paseana in California, a horse farm in Florida, and the Wyoming Ranch.
5. What kind of luxury assets does Bill Gates own? Gates owns a collection of luxury cars, including a rare Porsche 959 Coupe, a private jet, and valuable art pieces like Winslow Homer’s ‘Lost on the Grand Banks.’
6. What philanthropic initiatives is Bill Gates known for? Bill Gates is known for his extensive philanthropy through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has donated billions to causes such as malaria research, renewable energy, and nutritional improvements.
7. How does Bill Gates contribute to the tech industry beyond Microsoft? Beyond Microsoft, Gates contributes to the tech industry through investments in various technology companies and innovative projects, such as the Breakthrough Energy initiative.
8. What is the impact of Bill Gates’ philanthropic work? Gates’ philanthropic work has had a significant impact on global health, education, and poverty alleviation, particularly in developing countries.
9. What are some of the unique features of Gates’ primary residence, Xanadu 2.0? Xanadu 2.0 features high-tech amenities, including a sensor system for climate control, a large library with rare manuscripts, and a pool with an underwater music system.
10. What future plans does Bill Gates have for his wealth and investments? While specific future plans are not detailed, Gates is expected to continue his philanthropic efforts and maintain his influence in technology and business innovation.