By TOI Tech Desk
Publication Date: 2026-05-17 05:55:00
Bill Gates‘ charity foundation no longer owns a single share of Microsoft (MSFT)—the first time that’s been true since the foundation was set up in 2000. The Gates Foundation Trust sold its final 7.7 million MSFT shares in Q1 2026, a stake worth $3.2 billion, capping a two-year wind-down that began with 28.5 million shares. The 13F filing landed on May 15, and Microsoft stock slipped 0.42% to $422.07 the same day, even as billionaire investor Bill Ackman disclosed a fresh $2.3 billion Microsoft buy on the very same day.
Why the Gates Foundation Trust sold its entire Microsoft stake in Q1 2026
The Microsoft sell-off isn’t a bearish call on the stock. Bill Gates committed last year to spending down the foundation’s full endowment by 2045, with annual grantmaking climbing to $9 billion this year. That kind of payout schedule needs cash, and the trust’s most concentrated holding was always going to fund it…
