Berkshire Hathaway Dominates Gates Foundation Portfolio
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust holds a portfolio valued at approximately $36.6 billion, with nearly 30% ($11 billion) invested in Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B, BRK.A), highlighting a strong connection between co-founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett. Berkshire Hathaway is the largest holding in the trust, significantly surpassing the foundation’s investment in Microsoft.
As of its latest disclosure, Berkshire Hathaway possesses a record cash reserve of $382 billion, providing the company with the ability to capitalize on market downturns. This financial muscle has historically enabled Buffett to make lucrative investments, such as those during the 2008 financial crisis, yielding billions in profits. Despite transitioning leadership to Greg Abel in 2025, Berkshire’s decentralized structure is designed for long-term resilience beyond Buffett’s tenure.
