Several well-known billionaires have pledged or already donated the majority of their fortunes to causes like global health, education, poverty reduction, and climate action. While exact rankings vary by method, certain names consistently stand out for both the size of their gifts and the share of their net worth they have given away.
How “most of their wealth” is measured
Philanthropy trackers usually look at two things: total lifetime donations in dollars and what percentage of a billionaire’s current net worth those donations represent. On that basis, the following ten are frequently cited as among the most generous big givers in the world, especially in the United States where data is most transparent.
1. Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett is widely regarded as the most generous billionaire, with estimated lifetime donations of around 56 billion dollars and roughly two‑thirds of his wealth already committed or given away. His gifts, mostly in Berkshire Hathaway stock, go primarily to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and foundations run by his family, focusing on health, poverty relief, and education.
2. Bill Gates
Bill Gates has donated tens of billions of dollars through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, often cited with lifetime giving figures in the 40–55 billion dollar range depending on the methodology. His philanthropy targets global health (vaccines, infectious diseases), education reform, and poverty alleviation, and he co‑founded the Giving Pledge to encourage other billionaires to give away at least half their wealth.
3. Melinda French Gates
Melinda French Gates is a co‑chair of the Gates Foundation and a central architect of its strategy, with lifetime giving counted jointly with Bill Gates at more than 40 billion dollars in many rankings. She has also developed her own philanthropic identity, emphasizing women’s health, reproductive rights, and economic empowerment in low‑income countries.
4. MacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott has become one of the fastest and most flexible big donors, distributing roughly 16–17 billion dollars in less than five years to nearly two thousand organizations. Analyses estimate that she has already given away about a quarter of her net worth and continues to signaled her intention to donate the majority of her Amazon‑derived fortune, often via unrestricted grants to social‑justice, education, and community groups.
5. Michael Bloomberg
Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has directed tens of billions through Bloomberg Philanthropies to public health, climate, and cities, with lifetime giving estimates often exceeding 12–14 billion dollars. A substantial share of his fortune is pledged for philanthropy, funding anti‑smoking campaigns, traffic safety, climate action, and scholarships worldwide.
6. George Soros
George Soros has transferred the bulk of his wealth into the Open Society Foundations, with public estimates placing his lifetime giving above 30 billion dollars and most of his personal fortune effectively dedicated to the foundations. His philanthropy backs democracy, human rights, independent media, and education, especially in Eastern Europe and the Global South.
7. Azim Premji
Indian billionaire Azim Premji has given a majority of his Wipro stake to charitable trusts, leading some analyses to describe him as the first Indian to give away most of his fortune. His Azim Premji Foundation and University focus on school education and capacity‑building for teachers, along with broader social‑sector strengthening in India.
8. Chuck Feeney (Duty Free Shoppers)
Chuck Feeney, co‑founder of Duty Free Shoppers, quietly gave away virtually his entire fortune—over 8 billion dollars—through his Atlantic Philanthropies, ending his life with minimal personal wealth. His grants supported universities, public health, peace initiatives in Northern Ireland, and social programs across several continents, making him an emblem of “giving while living.”
9. John and Laura Arnold
Energy‑trader‑turned‑philanthropist John Arnold and his wife Laura have committed to give away the bulk of their wealth and have already donated about 2 billion dollars, roughly 40 percent of their current net worth. Their philanthropy concentrates on evidence‑based policy, public‑pension reform, criminal‑justice reform, and scientific research, often funding projects that aim to make government systems more effective.
10. Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan
Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have pledged to give away at least half of their fortune, primarily via the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), a limited‑liability company used for philanthropic investing. Their giving focuses on long‑term bets in science, education, and community development, including ambitious projects in genomics, disease research, and personalized learning.
The Giving Pledge and long‑term impact
Many of these billionaires are part of the Giving Pledge, a campaign launched in 2010 where the world’s wealthiest promise to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy in their lifetimes or wills. While critics note that overall billionaire wealth is still growing faster than their giving, the pledge has normalized the idea that “most of your fortune should eventually go to the community,” reshaping expectations around ultra‑rich wealth and responsibility.
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