Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has announced he will give away 99% of his wealth within the next 20 years.
In a personal blog post published on Thursday, Gates said his foundation will spend up to $200 billion by 2045.
He declared, “People will say many things about me when I die, but not that I died rich.”
At 69 years old, Gates plans to accelerate giving through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he co-founded.
The foundation has already donated $100 billion to global health and development projects since its creation.
Gates cited industrialist Andrew Carnegie, saying, “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced.”
His new timeline marks a shift from previous plans, which aimed for the foundation to operate beyond his death.
He told BBC Newshour the world will have other wealthy people in the future who can take over this work.
“It’s about urgency,” Gates said. “We can spend more now and do more good if we don’t aim to last forever.”
Though giving away 99% of his wealth, Gates could still remain a billionaire, with a current net worth of $108 billion.
He criticised the US, UK, and France for cutting foreign aid and questioned their commitment to the world’s poorest.
Gates also criticised Elon Musk, accusing him of causing harm by slashing US foreign aid to vital health projects.
The Gates Foundation aims to eliminate preventable diseases, end infectious disease outbreaks, and fight global poverty.
Photo: By © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112429619
