does bill gates own microsoft stock — ownership explained

Does Bill Gates Own Microsoft Stock?

Quick answer (first 100 words): The question "does bill gates own microsoft stock" asks how and how much Bill Gates — Microsoft’s co‑founder — still holds MSFT today. As of the most recent public reporting in 2025, Bill Gates' exposure to Microsoft is primarily held through philanthropic and investment vehicles (notably the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust and private investment manager Cascade Investments). Public filings and media reports document substantial transfers and sales over time; readers should consult SEC Form 4 and 13F filings for precise, dated quantities.

Overview

This article answers: who holds Microsoft shares connected to Bill Gates (personal holdings vs. foundation/trust holdings), why those holdings have changed, and why the distinction matters to investors and the public. It summarizes historical ownership, the vehicles that hold Microsoft stock on Gates‑related balance sheets, major public filings and news reports through 2025, typical explanations offered for moves, market reaction, and how to verify current ownership yourself.

Note: the query "does bill gates own microsoft stock" appears repeatedly in this article to match common search phrasing and to make verification straightforward. For precise share counts and dollar values, always consult the specific SEC filings (Form 4 for insider transactions and 13F for institutional holdings) cited in the news coverage summarized below.

Historical ownership

Understanding present holdings requires a brief look back at how Bill Gates’ stake in Microsoft evolved from founding through decades of declining direct ownership.

Early years and IPO

Bill Gates co‑founded Microsoft in 1975. After the company’s initial public offering (IPO) in 1986, Gates was the company’s largest individual shareholder for many years. In Microsoft’s early public life and through the 1990s, his combined ownership (direct plus family or trust holdings) was a dominant block — reflecting both his role as CEO and the concentrated founder ownership common in technology companies at that time.

Over the decades that followed, Gates reduced direct ownership via periodic sales, tax planning, and gifts. Those sales were often publicly reported via SEC filings when applicable. The long‑term trend has been clear: Microsoft became less concentrated with Gates as a majority or controlling owner and more broadly held by institutional and retail investors.

Major donations and transfers to the Gates Foundation Trust

A key channel for reductions in Bill Gates’ direct Microsoft holdings has been large transfers to philanthropic entities, most notably the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (often shortened to Gates Foundation Trust). Over time, Gates transferred sizable blocks of MSFT shares to the Foundation to fund philanthropic work and to place assets under the Foundation Trust’s management.

As of reporting through 2025, the Foundation Trust has at times been a very large single holder of Microsoft stock. For example, media reports in 2022 and later described substantial donations or transfers of Microsoft shares to the foundation. These transfers increased the foundation’s stake while decreasing Gates’ personal, directly‑reported stake. Because the foundation is a distinct legal entity, its investment and selling decisions are managed to meet philanthropic funding needs and portfolio objectives rather than the personal financial goals of Bill Gates alone.

Ownership vehicles and structure

When people ask "does bill gates own microsoft stock," they are often asking about multiple related but legally distinct stakes: personal holdings declared by Gates himself, holdings controlled by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, and holdings managed by Cascade Investments (a private investment manager associated with Gates’ family office). Each vehicle has different rules for disclosure, management objectives, and governance.

Gates Foundation Trust

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust (sometimes abbreviated as the Gates Foundation Trust) holds assets to fund the charitable grantmaking of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As of reporting in 2025, the Trust had been reported by multiple outlets to hold significant positions in Microsoft stock that were the result of gifts and transfers over prior years.

The Trust’s objectives are philanthropic: to generate returns to support grantmaking over the long term while managing risk and liquidity for future grants. Investment decisions for the Trust have often been implemented by professional managers, and over time the Trust has rebalanced or sold holdings to fund grants or to diversify. Because the Trust is a separate legal and tax entity, its holdings are disclosed by the Trust in institutional filings rather than by Gates as an individual.

Cascade Investments and other vehicles

Cascade Investments is the private investment vehicle associated with Bill Gates’ family office. Cascade manages a diversified portfolio across public equities, private equity, real assets and other asset classes. Cascade’s MSFT exposure — if any — is held for investment purposes rather than philanthropic funding. Over time, Cascade has reduced its concentration in Microsoft as part of broader diversification strategies reported in filings and press coverage.

Other small personal accounts or trusts may in some cases hold Microsoft shares; those holdings can be subject to insider reporting rules if the filings are required.

Public disclosures and regulatory filings

Tracking the answer to "does bill gates own microsoft stock" relies on public disclosures:

• SEC Form 4: used for insider transactions when an individual or entity subject to insider reporting rules buys or sells shares. These filings show dates, share counts, and prices for many transactions tied to named insiders.
• SEC Form 13F: quarterly filings by institutional investment managers (managing $100 million+ in qualifying assets) that disclose holdings of certain U.S. exchange‑traded securities. The Gates Foundation Trust and Cascade (if qualifying) may appear in 13F filings showing position sizes at quarter‑end.
• Company filings and shareholder disclosures: large shareholders may also be mentioned in proxy statements or in investor relations commentary from Microsoft.

Media coverage and analyst notes commonly cite these filings when reporting changes in Gates‑related holdings. For the cleanest view, read the actual SEC filing and note the filing date; press summaries sometimes round or interpret numbers differently.

Recent changes and notable transactions (timeline)

Below is a concise timeline summarizing major, widely reported items related to the query "does bill gates own microsoft stock." Dates are given as month/year to reflect reporting windows and to align with media coverage.

• 2022 (reported): Multiple outlets covered large donations and transfers of Microsoft stock from Bill Gates to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, increasing the foundation’s ownership. These transfers were part of ongoing philanthropic funding and estate planning.

• August 2024: Yahoo Finance published a profile of Gates’ portfolio allocation (noting concentration across a small number of large positions in his reported public portfolios), providing background on diversification choices and holdings tracked at that time.

• March 2025: Motley Fool published background coverage on the Gates Foundation’s portfolio and its management, noting that a large portion of the foundation’s invested assets could be concentrated in a few positions (reporting on allocation figures for context).

• April 2025: Neowin reported that Bill Gates was no longer the largest shareholder of Microsoft stock after certain changes in holdings were reflected in filings and shareholder rankings (As of April 2025, according to Neowin reporting).

• Q3 2025 (reported in Q3/Q4 2025 press): Video and news summaries documented a series of sales by Gates‑related entities. For example, a news video titled "Bill Gates Just Sold 17 Million Microsoft Shares…" summarized a Q3 2025 sell‑off that reduced a major Gates‑related holding (reported as Q3 2025 activity in the press).

• November 2025 (reported): Several outlets — including The Motley Fool, AOL / 24/7 Wall St and the Economic Times — published reports stating that the Gates Foundation Trust or Gates‑related entities had substantially reduced Microsoft holdings in a series of transactions. Headlines in November 2025 summarized reported share reductions and positioned the moves as material declines from prior position sizes (As of November 2025, according to press coverage).

Important caveat: exact share counts and dollar values quoted in secondary articles can differ depending on filing dates and disclosure timing. For precise numbers tied to a date, consult the underlying SEC Form 4 or 13F filing listed in the relevant news piece.

Reported reasons for sales / management commentary

When news outlets asked "does bill gates own microsoft stock" in the context of sales, common explanations offered by analysts and reporters included:

• Portfolio rebalancing and diversification: Large concentrated positions are often trimmed over time so that a foundation or family office can reduce concentration risk.
• Funding for philanthropic grants: The Gates Foundation Trust may sell assets to provide cash for charitable grant commitments; sales to meet programmatic needs are a common reason for asset reductions.
• Routine trust or tax management: Trusts and family offices regularly implement tax‑efficient strategies that can involve selling appreciated stock.

Media coverage repeatedly noted that the foundation’s investment managers — not Bill Gates personally — typically execute sales and rebalancing. Therefore, sales reported under the Trust’s name do not necessarily indicate a change in Gates’ personal financial view on Microsoft as a business.

Market reaction and analyst commentary

Major sales by a high‑profile shareholder can draw market attention. Reported Gates‑related sales in 2025 triggered news headlines and analyst commentary, which generally followed a pattern:

• Short‑term price reaction: News of large block sales can cause temporary volatility as markets digest the extra supply and sentiment. However, because Microsoft is a very large, liquid stock (traded in volumes of millions of shares per day), markets typically absorb large institutional sales without prolonged dislocations.
• Analyst guidance: Many analysts and commentators cautioned against over‑interpreting sales by philanthropic trusts as negative signals about corporate fundamentals. They remind investors that institutional motives (liquidity for grants, diversification) differ from individual trading motives.
• Long‑term focus: Commentators typically recommended focusing on Microsoft’s business fundamentals and competitive position rather than short‑term insider or institutional selling activity.

As context, MSFT is among the largest companies by market capitalization and trades in high daily volumes. That liquidity tends to dampen the price impact of large trades relative to smaller, less liquid stocks.

Current status (how to verify)

Ownership levels tied to Bill Gates change over time. To verify the current answer to "does bill gates own microsoft stock," use primary sources and the steps below:

1. Check SEC filings: Search EDGAR for Form 4 (insider transactions) and Form 13F (quarterly institutional holdings) for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, Cascade Investments, and filings under William H. Gates. Pay attention to filing dates and reported share counts.
2. Read the filing text: Form 4 shows the date of transaction, number of shares bought or sold, and price. Form 13F shows holdings as of quarter‑end.
3. Consult Microsoft investor relations: Company filings and proxy statements sometimes list significant owners and ownership tables.
4. Compare multiple reports: Media summaries are useful but confirm numbers in the SEC filing cited by the article.

For example: As of April 2025, according to Neowin reporting, filings showed a change in ranking among top Microsoft shareholders. As of November 2025, multiple press reports cited additional share reductions from Gates‑related entities. Always read the source SEC document to confirm a reporter’s interpretation.

Implications for investors and the public

Why does the public ask "does bill gates own microsoft stock" and why does it matter?

• Liquidity and signaling: Sales by large holders can add supply to the market and can be interpreted by some as a signal of shifting allocation preferences. However, motives for sales by philanthropic trusts are often logistical (funding grants), not necessarily statements about the company’s future prospects.
• Limits of inference: The Gates Foundation Trust manages assets to meet philanthropic objectives. Its transactions are not equivalent to investments made to express high‑conviction trading views the way a hedge fund or active investor might communicate. Therefore, follow‑the‑money interpretations should be cautious.
• Practical investor takeaway: Public investors are better served by focusing on Microsoft’s fundamentals, risk tolerance, time horizon and diversification strategy rather than copying the trading moves of a single high‑profile holder. This article does not provide investment advice.

See also

• Microsoft (MSFT)
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Cascade Investments
• SEC Form 4 and Form 13F filings
• List of largest shareholders of Microsoft

References (selected news coverage and reporting)

Below are the primary news sources and reporting windows referenced in this article. For exact figures and dates, consult the SEC filings that each article cited.

• Neowin — April 2025 reporting that Bill Gates no longer was the largest Microsoft shareholder (As of April 2025, according to Neowin reporting).
• Yahoo Finance — August 2024 profile of Bill Gates’ publicly reported portfolio allocation (As of August 2024, according to Yahoo Finance).
• Motley Fool — March 2025 background on the Gates Foundation’s portfolio and November 2025 reporting on reported sales (As of March 2025 and November 2025, according to The Motley Fool reporting).
• Capital.com — 2025 analysis: "Microsoft shareholders 2025: who owns the most MSFT shares" (2025 reporting overview).
• AOL / 24/7 Wall St — November 2025 headline coverage of reported share reductions (As of November 2025, according to AOL / 24/7 Wall St reporting).
• Economic Times — November 2025 reporting that the Foundation cut Microsoft holdings (As of November 2025, according to the Economic Times).
• YouTube news video — Q3 2025 summary titled "Bill Gates Just Sold 17 Million Microsoft Shares…" summarizing Q3 2025 sell‑offs (reported Q3 2025 activity).
• Bill Gates — Wikipedia (background context on Gates’ biography and philanthropic work).

Note: This article prioritizes the above supplied sources. For any numeric claim about shares or dollar amounts, verify the date and consult the underlying SEC filing cited by the reporter.

External links and verification resources

To verify holdings and transactions yourself, consult these authoritative sources (search the resource name in EDGAR or the issuer’s websites):

• SEC EDGAR search for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust and William H. Gates Form 4 and Form 13F filings (use the SEC EDGAR search tool).
• Microsoft investor relations for corporate filings and significant owner tables.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation official site for organizational context.

Notes on data, market context, and how to interpret numbers

• Market capitalization and liquidity: Microsoft is a very large company by market capitalization and trades in high daily volume. That means very large institutional sales are typically less disruptive than the same nominal sales in smaller, less liquid names.
• Quantities and valuations change: Reports from April–November 2025 documented material reductions in Gates‑related Microsoft holdings. Exact share counts reported by the press vary with the filing date; always use the filing’s date and numbers for precision.
• Why filings matter: SEC Form 4 (insider transactions) and Form 13F (institutional holdings) give the strongest, verifiable public snapshot tied to legal disclosure requirements.

Practical steps to follow up (how readers can act)

• If you want to confirm whether "does bill gates own microsoft stock" is true today, open the SEC EDGAR search and look up the most recent Form 4 and 13F filings for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust, Cascade Investments, and filings under William H. Gates.
• For portfolio actions or trading: this article provides factual background only and is not investment advice. Consider fundamentals, diversification and your time horizon.
• To manage crypto and Web3 assets, consider secure custody and wallet choices; for users exploring crypto alongside equity research, Bitget Wallet provides tools to hold and manage Web3 assets in a secure environment. For centralized exchange needs, Bitget is recommended within Bitget Wiki content as a primary platform.

Further exploration: explore Bitget resources to learn how institutional reporting standards differ from retail account statements and how to use filings to inform long‑term research rather than short‑term trading decisions.

Final reading note

The short, searchable question "does bill gates own microsoft stock" has an evolving answer. Historically, Bill Gates owned a very large block of Microsoft stock; over the past two decades he reduced direct ownership via sales and significant transfers to philanthropic entities. As of reporting through 2025, Gates’ Microsoft exposure is largely held through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust and through investment vehicles such as Cascade Investments, and multiple widely reported filings in 2024–2025 documented substantive reductions in those positions (As of April 2025 and November 2025, according to the news sources cited above). To confirm the most current status, consult the specific SEC Form 4 and Form 13F filings referenced in press coverage.

Want to track holdings like a pro? Start by checking the source SEC filings, and for secure Web3 asset management, explore Bitget Wallet and Bitget’s custody features.