If Warren Buffett never gave a cent for charitable purposes, he could have been the second richest person in modern history

As you may have heard, Warren Buffett made a historical announcement on Saturday: after six decades in Berkshire Hathaway, he plans to step down as CEO at the end of the year. At the age of 94, the “Oracle of Omaha” will be retained its role as CEO, but his daily administration of the company, which he built from a failed textile company in A $ 1.1 trillion juggernut is coming to an end. His hand -picked successor, deputy chairman Greg Abel, will take over the reins – a transition that is long expected, but still symbolically for the end of one of the greatest financial epochs in American history.

Thanks to his very large participation in Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has been a main support on lists of the richest people in the world for decades. And although Warren is a synonym for extreme prosperity and was generally regarded as the greatest investor ever, he was only the richest person in the world ONCE. And he kept the crown very short.

As early as March 2008, Warrens exceeded $ 62 -billion dollars from Bill Gates $ 58 billion. Up to this point, Gates had been the richest person in the world continuously for 13 years. However, this distinction was short -lived. By March 2009, both male shots in the middle of the global financial crisis had decreased considerably. Bill Gates' network value fell to 40 billion US dollars, while Warren buffets fell to 37 billion US dollars and the gates set at the top of the list. Warren has never receded the crown.

Today Warren Buffett's net assets of $ 170 billion makes him five-rich person in the world.

Funny fact: Warren lasted 87 years to see his net assets of $ 80 billion. He performed this service in 2017. Then he only took eight years to double this number. In fact, they double the number plus 10 billion US dollars. This is the strength to improve very large numbers.

Speaking of very large numbers. A moment when we said Warren, Warren never recalled the title of the richest person in the world. This statement actually has a big restriction …

What would Warren Buffett be worth today, would he never have donated a dollar for charitable purposes?

What if Warren Buffett had a change of heart in 2006 and decided not to give away his assets? What if he has kept every Berkshire Hathaway to himself? How rich would he be in 2025 now? If you think it is as easy as adding 170 billion US dollars (its current net assets) to 60 billion US dollars (its total donations) and the arrival of 230 billion US dollars as an answer is actually a bit more complicated. Because Buffett has steadily donated his shares over time and the shares of Berkshire Hathaway have significantly valued in the years since then, the shares he gave away would be much more worth today if he had kept them.

Buffett's net assets in 2025 are about $ 170 billion and is currently making it the five-rich person in the world.

Here is a snapshot of the current six best people in the world:

1. Elon Musk – 336 billion US dollars
2. Jeff Bezos – 212 billion US dollars
3. Mark Zuckerberg – 211 billion US dollars
4. Larry Ellison – 174 billion US dollars
5. Warren Buffett – 170 billion US dollars

Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Buffett's net assets are almost exclusively due to its 14% division to Berkshire Hathaway. However, if he had never donated stocks, Buffett would still hold 100% of its original share, which was enormous. In 2006 Buffett held about 31% of the Equity of Berkshire (Around 475,000 class a).

In dollar manufactures, this means that buffets could roughly doublet hypothetical net assets on the size of 350 billion US dollars – roughly his current assets! 😲 That would not only make him richer than Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg or Larry Ellison. With 350 billion US dollars, Buffett would be the richest person in the world today and exceeds Elon Musk's current net assets of USA 336 billion.

But that would not have been the case a few months ago. At the end of 2024, Musk's net assets rose to an all-time high of $ 486 billion, the greatest assets that were ever recorded. While Buffett's assets of $ 350 billion would easily take first place today, it would still have the historical highlight of Mousk behind it.

And how would Buffetts historically compare 350 billion US dollars? It would make him richer than any other person in modern history, apart from musk. He even exceeded legendary tycoons like John D. Rockefeller, whose luck at his climax from 1937 was estimated at around 340 billion US dollars in today's money.

When Warren Buffett rides into the investing sunset, he leaves more than just a fortune – he leaves a legacy. He could have been the second richest person who has ever left on Earth. Instead, he decided to give away everything. He exchanged a crown of wealth for something that is far more sustainable: effects. His assets can fade from the ranking, but his wavity can be felt for centuries.