Bill Gates - the last mission of a billionaire who doesn't want to die rich

Bill Gates has announced a decision that has shaken the world of big capital – he will donate almost his entire fortune to charity. What prompted one of the richest men in history to take such a radical step?

In a world where Gates' name has for decades been associated with technological revolution and astronomical amounts in the bank, his latest decision sounds almost like a manifesto. On Thursday (08.05.2025), Bill Gates announced that by 2045 he will donate almost his entire fortune - estimated at around $200 billion - through the Gates Foundation to fight global poverty, disease and inequality. As he emphasized in a statement: "There are too many problems to solve for me to stick to resources that could help others."

Bill Gates/photo: Shutterstock

The vision he presented on the occasion of the foundation's 25th anniversary leaves no doubt - it is not just generous donations, but a comprehensive plan to change the world. From the elimination of polio, through the fight against malaria and measles, to actions to reduce infant and maternal mortality. And all this with the determination of a man who wants to "save and improve the lives of people everywhere."

Gates, now 69 , didn’t mince his words. In an illustration, he showed how his fortune would shrink by 99 percent, ending the foundation’s operations on December 31, 2045.

"People will say all sorts of things about me when I die, but I'm determined it won't be 'he died rich', " he added.

This sentence echoed not only in the media, but also in the salons of Silicon Valley, where billionaires are more likely to invest in space start-ups than in saving human lives.

There is also frustration behind this decision. Gates did not hide his disappointment with the policies of the American administration under Donald Trump, and especially its impact on global humanitarian aid. When the US president withdrew the country from the WHO and significantly reduced funding for USAID , the Gates foundation faced a choice: wait for the situation to change or act independently.

Elon Musk/photo, Shutterstock

The situation was further exacerbated by the fact that Elon Musk took on the role of an influential advisor to the president on this issue. Gates did not hide his irritation in an interview with the New York Times. Despite previous attempts to cooperate with Trump, the billionaire was sidelined, and his requests for help in saving global health programs went unheeded.

- The Gates Foundation is said to have been pressuring Musk to do more to oppose Trump and fill the funding gap - Politico reports.

This pressure, however, had no effect.

The Gates Foundation, founded in 2000 with Melinda Gates and later backed by Warren Buffett , already has more than $100 billion in aid. By 2026, its budget will grow to a record $9 billion per year . And while there is no shortage of criticism—such as from the WHO, which points to the excessive influence of one entity—it is hard to ignore the scale and reality of the organization’s activities.

Bill Gates doesn't throw his words to the wind. He doesn't want to leave an empire behind him - he wants to leave the world at least a little better. And although not every billionaire will follow in his footsteps, one thing is certain: history will remember him not only as the creator of Microsoft, but above all - as a man who dared to give everything. Will the world of the rich listen to his appeal?