Bill Gates Has Nearly 30% of His $35 Billion Portfolio in 1 Stock and It's Not Microsoft The Gates Foundation, established by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in 2000, manages a vast charitable trust with over $86 billion in total assets. A significant portion of this wealth—nearly $35 billion—is invested in publicly traded companies, with one stock dominating the portfolio. Contrary to expectations, the largest holding is not Microsoft, but rather Berkshire Hathaway. The foundation’s stock portfolio includes 23 individual holdings, but 96% of its assets are concentrated in its top 10 positions. Berkshire Hathaway stands out as the single largest investment, accounting for 28% of the portfolio. As of late 2025, the foundation owned approximately 19.4 million Class B shares of Berkshire Hathaway, valued at around $9.8 billion. Other major holdings include Waste Management and Canadian National Railway, while Microsoft ranks as the fourth-largest position with a 10.5% allocation. The foundation’s heavy investment in Berkshire Hathaway stems from Warren Buffett’s long-standing practice of donating shares to the Gates Foundation and other charities. From 2006 to 2024, Buffett contributed a total of $43.3 billion in Berkshire stock to the foundation. Over time, the foundation has sold portions of its Berkshire holdings to fund charitable initiatives, including a $1 billion raise in the fourth quarter of 2025 through the sale of 2.36 million shares. Microsoft’s presence in the portfolio reflects Gates’ own historical contributions. At the time of Microsoft’s 1986 IPO, Gates held 45% of the company, but his stake has since dwindled to less than 1%. Donations to his foundation have been a key factor in reducing his ownership.#microsoft #berkshire_hathaway #warren_buffett #bill_gates #the_gates_foundation
