Bill Gates Became $2 Billion Richer Today

How’s this for passive income? Bill Gates, who is already worth $122 billion, raked in $2 billion today just for watching Microsoft’s stock soar 7.2% in a Wednesday rally.

Marketwatch reports that Gates had a banner day on Wall Street, as Microsoft’s shares increased by $19.95 to $295.37, the company’s largest single-day gain in 52 weeks. Gates is Microsoft’s largest investor, owning around 103 million shares, which adds up to a little over 1% of the company. Not too shabby — considering Microsoft has a market cap of $2.2 trillion.

Financial analysts said Microsoft benefited today from better-than-average quarterly earnings. Wall Street is also enthusiastic about its AI offerings.

Today’s news was not only good for Gates but for investors in general, as Wall Street rallied from its worst day in a month.

Still, Gates will need quite a few more days like this before he even gets close to the world’s richest man Bernard Arnault, who is worth over $200 billion.

Related: ‘The Age of AI Has Begun’: Bill Gates Says This ‘Revolutionary’ Tech Is the Biggest Innovation Since the User-Friendly Computer

Read More
Jonathan Small

Latest

“I cannot divorce the two”: How Star Wars is blending technology, creativity, and products into the experience itself

(Image credit: Disney) “It’s like a community, right? And it’s a global community that people really love and identify with.” That’s how Bobby Kim, Global Creative Director at Disney Consumer Products, describes Star Wars fandom. And it’s a framing that feels especially fitting as another May the 4th is behind us and we’re weeks out

Trump administration defends right to ban content moderation experts from US

The Trump administration is fighting for the right to keep some social media moderation advocates out of the US. On Wednesday, US District Court Judge James Boasberg heard arguments in a lawsuit between the nonprofit Coalition for Independent Technology Research (CITR) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Trump administration officials. The suit concerns

Apple’s 2028 iPhone display sounds impossible, but Samsung and LG are scrambling to build it

Android phones have had curved displays for years and accepted the distortion as the price of aesthetics. Apple is spending two years and billions of supplier dollars to not accept it. Apple's all-screen iPhone 20 mockup Ice Universe / X Apple doesn’t ask its suppliers to build things. It tells them to, hands them a

Tencent Music Posts 7.3% Q1 2026 Revenue Jump, Points to Triple-Digit Live Growth and Continued Superfan Expansion

A live performance from Jay Chou, whose Children of the Sun is said to have generated about $14.7 million on Tencent Music during Q1 2026. Photo Credit: GEM_Ady Amid a continued SVIP expansion and a triple-digit revenue boost on the concerts side, Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) has reported nearly $1.2 billion in Q1 2026 revenue.

Newsletter

Don't miss

“I cannot divorce the two”: How Star Wars is blending technology, creativity, and products into the experience itself

(Image credit: Disney) “It’s like a community, right? And it’s a global community that people really love and identify with.” That’s how Bobby Kim, Global Creative Director at Disney Consumer Products, describes Star Wars fandom. And it’s a framing that feels especially fitting as another May the 4th is behind us and we’re weeks out

Trump administration defends right to ban content moderation experts from US

The Trump administration is fighting for the right to keep some social media moderation advocates out of the US. On Wednesday, US District Court Judge James Boasberg heard arguments in a lawsuit between the nonprofit Coalition for Independent Technology Research (CITR) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other Trump administration officials. The suit concerns

Apple’s 2028 iPhone display sounds impossible, but Samsung and LG are scrambling to build it

Android phones have had curved displays for years and accepted the distortion as the price of aesthetics. Apple is spending two years and billions of supplier dollars to not accept it. Apple's all-screen iPhone 20 mockup Ice Universe / X Apple doesn’t ask its suppliers to build things. It tells them to, hands them a

Tencent Music Posts 7.3% Q1 2026 Revenue Jump, Points to Triple-Digit Live Growth and Continued Superfan Expansion

A live performance from Jay Chou, whose Children of the Sun is said to have generated about $14.7 million on Tencent Music during Q1 2026. Photo Credit: GEM_Ady Amid a continued SVIP expansion and a triple-digit revenue boost on the concerts side, Tencent Music Entertainment (TME) has reported nearly $1.2 billion in Q1 2026 revenue.

WD sees sustainability as key business driver in an ‘AI economy’

Hard drive company WD promoted long-term operations and sustainability executive Jackie Jung to become its first chief sustainability officer in February, as it steps up sales to companies building AI data centers. Her vision: Turn sustainability into a “brand” for WD, a strategy that reduces risk for the $6 billion company (formerly known as Western

5 Business Ideas Worth Starting in 2026

If there is one thing Nigerians understand well, it is how to spot opportunity inside hardship. In 2026, that mindset will matter more than ever. The economy is tough, competition is rising, and many people are looking for smarter ways to earn, build, and survive. But even in a difficult environment, some businesses still stand

Getting a business loan now comes with a frequent flyer upside

Australian fintech Prospa has partnered with Qantas Business Rewards, letting eligible SMEs earn up to 500,000 points per loan. What’s happening: Australian fintech lender Prospa has partnered with Qantas Business Rewards to allow eligible small and medium business owners to earn up to 500,000 Qantas Points per loan when taking out a Prospa Small Business