Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Exits Microsoft Entirely, Offloading $3.2B Stake

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has sold its entire Microsoft position — 7.7 million shares worth more than $3.2 billion — marking a complete exit from the company Bill Gates co-founded. The move ends what had been one of the most symbolically significant institutional holdings in the technology sector.

The sale is notable both for its scale and its totality. Partial trimming of a legacy founder stake is common; liquidating 100% in a single reported action is not. For markets, the signal cuts two ways: the foundation may be rotating into other asset classes or philanthropic vehicles, but a full exit at this valuation also removes a long-standing structural buyer from Microsoft's institutional register.

With Microsoft deeply embedded in AI infrastructure spending — and its stock pricing in significant forward growth — the timing will draw scrutiny from investors watching for any…