Warren Buffett Donates $6 B in Berkshire Shares, Lifetime Giving Tops $60 B

Warren Buffett, the 94‑year‑old chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has once again made headlines with a $6 billion donation in Berkshire Hathaway stock—his largest annual charitable contribution since his 2006 pledge. This latest gift brings his cumulative lifetime giving to over $60 billion, surpassing the GDP of many smaller nations.

The donation, processed on June 30, 2025, comprised more than 12.3 million Class B shares, converted from approximately 8,239 Class A shares. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust received the lion’s share—over 9.4 million shares—while the remainder was allocated among the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.

With these contributions, Buffett’s philanthropic total now exceeds the net worth of the 26th richest person in the world. Despite this massive outlay, he retains roughly $145 billion in Berkshire stock and remains Berkshire’s controlling shareholder.

Buffett attributes his extraordinary wealth to “long‑term decision‑making, the American tailwind, and the power of compounding”—emphasizing that nothing miraculous has occurred at Berkshire to warrant such success.

Earlier this year, Buffett disclosed plans to step down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway by year‑end, transitioning leadership to Greg Abel. He has also reaffirmed his estate plan: approximately 99.5 percent of his remaining wealth is destined for charitable causes, with annual contributions continuing throughout his lifetime.