# @benzinga on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/C7_vGwatame
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/18856809-benzinga-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/legacy-do/8454ee7e05675652b9230f1dd73bbbd3ddd7b44cb9a6394e306bdc3f4f670696.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-06-09T13:01:30.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Benzinga | News That Moves (@benzinga) — https://gondola.cc/benzinga

## Caption

In the late ‘90s, amidst the frenzy of the dot-com boom, Wired magazine made a bold prediction that Bill Gates, the tech titan behind Microsoft, could soar to trillionaire status by 2005. 

The math seemed sound: Gates’ stake in Microsoft, which had ballooned from $233.9 million at its IPO in 1986 to a staggering $72.2 billion by June 1999, was growing at a blistering rate of 58.2% annually. But reality took a different turn.

Rather than holding onto every Microsoft share, Gates opted for a different path. He began offloading chunks of his stake, diversifying his investment portfolio. Fast-forward to today: Microsoft’s market value has surged to $3 trillion, but Gates’ ownership has dwindled to a mere 1.34%.

Had Gates maintained his original stake, his net worth would have reached unprecedented heights. Gates’ original 49% stake would be worth approximately $1.47 trillion, making him the world’s first trillionaire. Instead, Gates’ net worth stands at an estimated $154 billion as of June 2024.

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 3,101
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- **Comments:** 109

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Benzinga | News That Moves | @benzinga | https://gondola.cc/benzinga | Brand |
| Jacob Shipley | @okcmayor | https://gondola.cc/okcmayor | Director of Social Media |

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