As you may have heard, Warren Buffett made a historic announcement on Saturday. After leading Berkshire Hathaway for over sixty years, he plans to resign as CEO by the end of this year. At 94 years old, the “Oracle of Omaha” will still serve as Chairman of the Board, but he will no longer be in charge of daily operations. His chosen successor, Vice Chairman Greg Abel, will take over—a transition that has long been expected, yet still marks the end of an extraordinary era in American finance.
Buffett has consistently appeared on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals for decades, thanks to his massive shareholding in Berkshire Hathaway. Though he’s often linked with immense wealth and widely regarded as the greatest investor of all time, he was only the richest person in the world once—and only briefly.
In March 2008, Buffett’s net worth hit $62 billion, overtaking Bill Gates, who had $58 billion at the time. Gates had held the top position for 13 uninterrupted years. However, Buffett’s reign didn’t last long. By March 2009, during the global financial crisis, both men saw major drops in their fortunes. Gates’ wealth fell to $40 billion, while Buffett’s declined to $37 billion—putting Gates back on top. Buffett never reclaimed the number one spot.
Today, Warren Buffett’s wealth stands at about $170 billion, placing him fifth on the global rich list.
Here’s an interesting detail: it took Buffett 87 years to reach $80 billion in net worth, which he achieved in 2017. But in just eight years, he more than doubled that amount—adding an extra $10 billion on top. That’s the strength of compounding on a large scale.
Now, while we earlier said Buffett never regained the title of the world’s richest person, there’s an important detail worth noting.
What if Warren Buffett never donated to charity?
Suppose he changed his mind back in 2006 and decided to hold onto every single Berkshire Hathaway share. What would his net worth be today in 2025? You might think it’s as simple as adding his current $170 billion fortune to the $60 billion he has donated, totaling $230 billion. But it’s more complex than that. Since he gave away his shares gradually over the years—and those shares have grown tremendously in value—the shares he parted with would now be worth much more if he had kept them.
As mentioned, Buffett’s current wealth is about $170 billion, ranking him as the fifth-richest person in the world.
Here’s a breakdown of the top six richest people globally:
- Elon Musk – $336 billion
- Jeff Bezos – $212 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg – $211 billion
- Larry Ellison – $174 billion
- Warren Buffett – $170 billion
Buffett’s fortune is largely based on his 14% ownership of Berkshire Hathaway. But if he had never donated any shares, he would still hold his full original stake—around 31% of the company in 2006, which equated to about 475,000 Class A shares.
In terms of money, that means Buffett could be worth roughly $350 billion today—about double his actual net worth. That would make him wealthier than Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison. In fact, at $350 billion, he would be the richest person in the world today, ahead of Elon Musk’s current $336 billion fortune.
However, just a few months ago, that wouldn’t have been the case. In late 2024, Musk’s wealth hit a record high of $486 billion—the highest in history. So, while Buffett’s hypothetical $350 billion would put him on top today, it would still fall short of Musk’s all-time peak.
In historical context, Buffett’s imagined $350 billion fortune would make him richer than anyone in modern history—except Musk. He would even surpass industrial legends like John D. Rockefeller, whose peak wealth in 1937 is estimated at about $340 billion in today’s terms.
As Warren Buffett prepares to bow out of active investing, he leaves behind more than just wealth—he leaves a powerful legacy. He could have become the second-richest person in history, but he chose to give his fortune away. In doing so, he exchanged unimaginable wealth for lasting impact. His name may gradually disappear from the rankings, but the influence of his generosity will be felt for generations to come.
