2017’s Richest Person and How They Made Their Money: REVEALED!

1. Bill Gates, 61 – Net Worth: $85.2 billion

William H. Gates III, better known as Bill, is the co-founder of Microsoft and the richest man in the world. Gates registered the name Microsoft in 1975 with his partner Paul Allen, the largest software company in the world, and still owns a 2.4% stake in the company despite stepping down from his CEO role back in 2000. Gates became a billionaire whilst aged 30, after Microsoft went public just 6 years after Gates and Allen registered the famous name.

Gates is not only world famous for his immense fortune – he’s also highly regarded as the most generous person on earth. Throughout his life, he and his wife have donated over $40 billion through their fund, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Not satisfied with helping countless millions of people with their selfless generosity, the Foundation is next focusing on a way to provide mobile banking to the 2 billions adults worldwide who don’t have a bank account. As a co-founder of the Giving Pledge with friend and fellow billionaire Warren Buffett, Gates will no doubt give away more of his fortune in years to come, and will no doubt go down as one of the biggest philanthropists in history.