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THIS tech billionaire no longer ranks among the top 10 richest people in US
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has slipped out of the top 10 richest people in the United States
Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and once the undisputed richest man on Earth, has long been known for his wealth and philanthropy.
For decades, his name dominated the Forbes 400 list, either at the very top or close to it.
From 1991 until 2021, Gates consistently held the No. 1 or No. 2 position, cementing his reputation as America’s wealthiest individual.
But for the first time in 34 years, the billionaire philanthropist has slipped out of the top 10 richest people in the United States, a remarkable shift for someone who defined the list for nearly three decades.
Why Bill Gates is no longer in America’s top 10?
According to Forbes’ 2025 ranking, Gates now sits at No. 14 with an estimated fortune of $107 billion.
While this remains an enormous sum, his wealth has not grown at the pace of his tech rivals like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, or Larry Ellison.
Instead, Gates’ decline in rankings is closely tied to his personal and philanthropic decisions. His fall began after his 2021 divorce from Melinda French Gates.
As part of the settlement, she received $12.5 billion earmarked for philanthropy and assets now valued at $29 billion.
That year, Gates dropped to No. 4. By 2024, he had slipped to No. 9, and this year marks his exit from the top 10 entirely.
Philanthropy over wealth
Unlike other billionaires racing to grow their fortunes, Gates has made clear that his focus lies elsewhere.
In May 2025, he announced a bold plan to give away 99% of his remaining wealth to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation over the next two decades.
The foundation, which will close in 2045 when Gates turns 90, continues to target global health issues, including eradicating polio, reducing malaria, and preventing maternal and child deaths from avoidable causes.
Since last year, Gates has already donated $7 billion to the foundation, a sum that has further lowered his net worth.
While this generosity has cost him his spot among America’s wealthiest ten, it underscores a different legacy: choosing philanthropy over fortune.
