Bill Gates announces he will donate nearly all of his \$200 billion fortune by 2045 and shut down the Gates Foundation, aiming to solve urgent global issues within his lifetime.

In a bold and deeply personal decision that is sending ripples through the world of global philanthropy, Bill Gates has announced that he intends to give away the vast majority of his fortune—nearly $200 billion—by the end of 2045.

And when that mission is complete, the Gates Foundation, one of the most powerful philanthropic organizations in the world, will close its doors forever.

This is not just another billionaire’s gesture of generosity. It is a full-scale reimagining of what it means to give back.

Gates, now 69, has spent the last two decades working tirelessly through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to tackle global poverty, preventable diseases, and education inequality.

But now, he is accelerating that mission, determined to see the work through within his lifetime—or close to it.

The announcement came in a letter published this week, in which Gates reflected on both the state of the world and his own legacy.

He wrote candidly about the moral obligation of extreme wealth and the pressing challenges humanity faces, from global health crises to poverty and climate instability.

While the foundation had previously planned to continue operations well beyond his and ex-wife Melinda French Gates’ lifetimes, that plan has changed. The new target date is December 31, 2045. After that, it’s over. The foundation will cease operations entirely.

This pivot is not coming out of nowhere. For years, Gates has been increasingly vocal about the need for faster and more focused giving, particularly as governments around the world cut back on foreign aid.

Gates has repeatedly criticized reductions in global development budgets by countries like the United States, United Kingdom, and France, warning that these choices are already causing measurable setbacks in childhood vaccinations and maternal health services in low- and middle-income countries.

The foundation’s future efforts will now focus intensely on three core goals: ending preventable maternal and child deaths, eradicating deadly infectious diseases, and lifting hundreds of millions of people out of extreme poverty.

In line with these objectives, annual spending will ramp up from $6 billion to a staggering $9 billion by 2026.

Over the last two decades, the Gates Foundation has committed more than $100 billion to philanthropic causes, often partnering with governments and health agencies to drive innovation.

Its impact has been significant. Childhood mortality rates globally have plummeted in large part thanks to vaccine distribution programs, malaria prevention, and sanitation improvements.

The foundation has funded the development and distribution of more than 100 innovations designed for global health—many of them targeting regions with limited infrastructure and resources.

But for Gates, the time has come to think about scale, speed, and finality.

Inspired in part by the philosophy of Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate-turned-philanthropist who famously said, “The man who dies thus rich dies disgraced,” Gates is making it clear that he wants none of his wealth gathering dust in investments after his death.

“I hope others in positions of wealth will also step up in bold ways,” he wrote, encouraging other billionaires to follow suit—not just in committing funds, but in committing urgency.

Gates’ philanthropic journey began well before he formally stepped down from Microsoft. After co-founding the company in 1975 and turning it into one of the most influential tech empires in history, he gradually shifted his focus toward global challenges.

In 2000, he and Melinda launched the foundation that would soon become the most high-profile private charitable foundation on the planet.

Despite their divorce in 2021, the two have continued working together as co-chairs, sharing a common goal even as their personal lives diverged.

The decision to sunset the foundation adds a new layer of clarity—and finality—to their shared mission. It’s also a rare move in the world of mega-philanthropy, where foundations often aim to exist in perpetuity.

Gates has argued that the needs of today are too urgent for that kind of timeline. The future, he believes, requires action now—not decades from now.

Artificial intelligence may also play a surprising role in the next phase of Gates’ philanthropy.

He has expressed cautious optimism that AI could dramatically improve the speed and efficiency of development solutions, from accelerating medical research to creating more responsive education systems in underserved communities.

However, he remains concerned about its risks, especially if powerful tools are concentrated in the hands of a few.

All of this paints the portrait of a man thinking deeply about his place in the world—and what he wants to leave behind.

Gates has long been a polarizing figure: celebrated by some as a modern-day visionary and criticized by others for the outsized influence private wealth can wield on global systems. But with this latest move, he is doubling down not just on giving, but on responsibility.

As 2045 looms, the world will be watching. Can one of the richest men in history truly give it all away? And what happens when he does?

If Gates has his way, what’s left behind won’t be a foundation, a building, or even a legacy in the traditional sense—but a world measurably healthier, more educated, and less burdened by poverty.

The countdown has begun. And Bill Gates, once a man known for revolutionizing computers, now hopes to be remembered for something even greater: the act of letting go.