Picture this: Warren Buffett, the legendary CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, has climbed his way up to the sixth spot on a list of the world’s wealthiest individuals. As of now, his net worth stands at a staggering $161 billion, surpassing his longtime friend and fellow billionaire Bill Gates by $1 billion. It’s a fascinating turnaround in the saga of wealth and finance, as Buffett emerges as the leading wealth gainer of 2025. In comparison, Jeff Yass, a prolific investor in TikTok among other ventures, saw a respectable but smaller $17 billion increase in his fortune.
For years, Buffett trailed behind Gates. Reflecting on October 2022, when a market slump saw Gates’ fortune dip below $110 billion, Buffett’s own wealth was valued at less than $100 billion. It’s almost as if the numbers dance differently each time, but the partners’ stories offer valuable lessons to anyone invested in markets and industry movements.
Taking a step further back to March 2020, we see the pandemic-induced crash take its toll—Gates’ worth dropped below the $95 billion mark, while Buffett saw his own dwindle to under $65 billion. Buffett’s climb to $130 billion in March 2022 ranks as another notable occasion where Gates maintained his edge at $135 billion—an edge that Buffett would ultimately overcome.
The Bloomberg rich list has its roots back in March 2012, showcasing Gates at $63 billion compared to Buffett’s $44 billion. It’s a bit like turning the pages of a thrilling finance novel, peeking at past chapters that laid the foundation for today’s headlines. As we look into these figures, how do they shape our understanding of financial resilience?
Buffett’s Gain, Gates’ Pain
Buffett’s success shines in the disparity between an uplifting 13% growth in Berkshire Hathaway’s Class A shares and Microsoft’s 8% stock fall, which nudged Gates’ wealth up by a mere $1.3 billion. This year’s interesting market dynamics reflect broader economic circumstances, where uncertainties tied to the Trump administration’s policies have renewed fear over inflation and recession. Consequently, investors have been running from riskier tech stocks towards the seeming safety of more conservatively valued stocks like Berkshire.
Remember last year? Berkshire Hathaway almost doubled its treasure chest of cash, Treasury bills, and liquid assets, bringing it to $334 billion. It appears Buffett was playing the cautious capitalist, selling a net $134 billion in stocks, and sparing just under $3 billion for share buybacks—a strategy diverging significantly from many aggressive market players. Fascinating, right?
Historically, Gates held the lead across various wealth rankings, remaining a familiar name atop Forbes’ illustrious annual list of America’s 400 richest individuals for 25 years—an uninterrupted feat from 1994 to 2017. Interestingly, Buffett claimed the top spot just once, back in 1993. Does such consistency require a specific kind of patience and foresight?
Giving It Away
Since 2006, philanthropy has been central to Buffett’s life mission. He has gifted approximately 57% of his Berkshire shares, which essentially form the crux of his personal wealth, predominantly to family foundations and the Gates Foundation. This generosity leads to a curious thought: вif he had held onto those shares, he would be at the top, with $360 billion, surpassing even Elon Musk’s wealth of $320 billion. Spectacle or benevolence, what really drives such acts of giving?
On a snapshot of Gates’ own financial tapestry, regulatory disclosures indicate that he held about 1.3% of Microsoft before stepping down as director in 2020. A large bundle of his wealth now resides in Cascade Investment—a holding company brought to life through the sales of Microsoft stock and collected dividends. How much of one’s wealth should be cultivated for the future, one wonders?
Atop the list, Elon Musk retains his title as the world’s richest person, maintaining a $102 billion lead over Jeff Bezos, who trails in second place. However, not all stories are glossy; ironically, Musk also holds the title for the largest fortune loss this year, with a $112 billion fall. Nevertheless, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, in a strong third position, trails Bezos with a $4 billion difference, boasting a modest $7.2 billion addition to his fortune this year.
Edited By Ali Musa Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
