Scrooge or Santa? How Famous Billionaires Are Giving (or Not) in 2025
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Angela Corry
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One thing the world’s richest people have in common is that they all have a lot of money. One thing they don’t have in common is the percentage of that money they give away to charity.
While some famous billionaires are definite “Santas” because of their generous philanthropic efforts, others lean more toward the “Scrooge” end of the spectrum for giving away relatively little.
Here’s a look at five famous billionaires and their record of giving. We won’t know how much each gave to charity in 2025 until their taxes are filed next year. But you can get a sense of their overall record.
The billionaires below are listed in order of net worth, based on Forbes data as of Nov. 30, 2025. Also included are where each ranked on Forbes’ 2025 list of most generous philanthropists.
Elon Musk
- Net worth: $482.52 billion
- Forbes rank of most generous philanthropists: not ranked
Musk might be the world’s richest person, but he doesn’t rate very high in terms of charitable giving when compared to other mega-billionaires. The Tesla CEO didn’t even rank among the top 25 in Forbes’ 2025 list of most generous philanthropists.
One a positive note, the Musk Foundation gave away a “record” $474 million in 2024, Bloomberg reported, with the “vast majority” going to entities controlled by Musk himself. The Foundation had $14.7 billion in total assets in 2024, up 55% from 2023.
But on the downside, Musk and his foundation have come under heavy criticism in some areas. According to a March 2025 report from the Philanthropy Project, Musk’s foundation in recent years has fallen short of required minimum donations mandated by the federal government.
The Philanthropy Project also accused the Musk Foundation of a “lack of accountability” and a “lack of transparency.”
Jeff Bezos
- Net worth: $244.6B
- Forbes rank of most generous philanthropists: 11th
- Giving as percentage of net worth: 1.6%
Through 2024, Bezos had given away about $4.1 billion to charity, according to Forbes, including about $660 million in 2024. But at a giving ratio of less than 2% of his overall net worth, the Amazon founder ranks well behind other famous billionaires.
Last year, Bezos and his then-fiancé (now wife) Lauren Sanchez made $280 million in donations via the Bezos Earth Fund. Bezos also awarded $110 million through his Day 1 Families Fund; $120 million to Bezos Academy; and $200 million to the Smithsonian.
Mark Zuckerberg
- Net worth: $222.2
- Forbes rank of most generous philanthropists: 7th
- Giving as percentage of net worth: 2.1%
Zuckerberg had given away roughly $5.1 billion through the end of 2024, including $620 million last year. The Meta CEO and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, have earmarked much of their giving to entities that use AI in scientific research.
Earlier this year, the couple announced plans to shift the “bulk of their philanthropic resources” to Biohub, a science organization involved in using AI to accelerate scientific discovery, the AP reported. Among its areas of focus are how to use AI to “harness the immune system” for disease detection, prevention and treatment.
Warren Buffett
- Net worth: $151.9B
- Forbes rank of most generous philanthropists: 1st
- Giving as percentage of net worth: 30%
Buffett has earned a lot of headlines — and praise — for his charitable giving over the years. That’s reflected in his No. 1 ranking on the Forbes philanthropy list, with 30% of his net worth going to charitable organizations.
Through the end of 2024, the legendary “Oracle of Omaha” and Berkshire Hathaway chairman had given away about $62 billion during his lifetime, according to Forbes. That total included $5.3 billion last year, when Buffett made his annual “mega-donation” of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Gates Foundation and various other foundations.
Bill Gates
- Net worth: $104.7B
- Forbes rank of most generous philanthropists: 2nd
- Giving as percentage of net worth: 26%
As of early 2025, Gates had given away $47.7 billion to various charities. Most of his giving has been in concert with ex-wife Melinda French Gates through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, now shortened to the Gates Foundation. Like Buffett, Gates has given away more than one-quarter of his net worth.
The Microsoft founder gave away about $5.2 billion last year, Forbes reported. His foundation had $70 billion in assets as of January 2025 and focuses mainly on alleviating poverty and improving health.
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