Money | Warren Buffett Buffet Unseats Gates as Richest Man on Earth He's worth $62B; Gates is now third with $58B. By Zach Samalin Posted Mar 5, 2008 7:44 PM CST Copied Billionaire investor Warren Buffett speaks in New York in this June 26, 2007 file photo. With an estimated valued of $62 billion, Buffett is now the richest man on earth. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano, file) (Associated Press) Bill Gates has passed the gilded torch: Warren Buffett and Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim have ended the Microsoft founder's 13-year reign as richest man on earth, Forbes reports. Buffett's fortune grew $10 billion this year to $62 billion, while Slim weighs in with an estimated $60 billion. Gates trails with a piddling $58 billion. Gates' total increased $2 billion since last year; that growth, however, was stymied by Microsoft's recent $45 billion bid to purchase Yahoo, which hurt the software company's share price. Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway spiked to $150,000 a share in December, before leveling out at $137,000 this week. Buffett has reserved a majority of his fortune for the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, after his death. Read These Next "Admiral Piett" of the Star Wars universe died from COVID. Trump voter who supported mass deportations could be deported herself. Shooter opens fire on Texas Border Patrol Rescuer in floods gets a poignant question. Report an error