MacKenzie Scott, who sold almost 75% of her Amazon stake, has donated more than Elon Musk, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos combined
Independence Day Sale! Subscribe to ETPrime Today
HomeETPrimeMarketsMarket DataMasterclassNewsIndustrySMEPoliticsWealthMFTechAICareersOpinionNRIPanacheMore MenuIndiaEconomyEconomy DashboardAgricultureFinanceForeign TradeIndicatorsInfrastructurePolicyPoliticsNewsblogsElectionsAssembly ElectionsSportsCricketFootballTennisBadmintonHockeyChessBasketballBaseballOther SportsFIFA World Cup 2026MoreScienceDefenceInternationalUS NewsGlobal TrendsCanada NewsUK NewsAustraliaNew ZealandSaudi ArabiaUAESingaporeHong KongBusinessWorld NewsET ExplainsCompanyCorporate TrendsIndustryTrendingMorning Brief PodcastET EvokeBengaluru NewsPune NewsMumbai NewsVideosLatest NewsMost ReadMost SharedMost CommentedBusiness News›News›International›Global Trends›MacKenzie Scott, who sold almost 75% of her Amazon stake, has donated more than Elon Musk, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos combined
The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now. Read Today's Paper
SECTIONSMacKenzie Scott, who sold almost 75% of her Amazon stake, has donated more than Elon Musk, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos combinedET OnlineLast Updated: 18 August, 2026 11:37 PM -5 GMTRate StoryFollow usShareFont SizeAbcSmallAbcMediumAbcLargeSavePrintCommentSynopsisMacKenzie Scott has reached an extraordinary milestone as the third-largest philanthropist in history, contributing a staggering $26.4 billion in just under seven years. Notably, she made headlines with a groundbreaking $7.2 billion donation in 2025 alone. By offering unrestricted grants to more than 2,500 organizations, she has distributed over 40% of her wealth, demonstrating a significant commitment to philanthropy that surpasses many well-known billionaires.
APMacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott has emerged as the third-biggest philanthropist of all time after donating $26.4 billion in less than seven years, including a record $7.2 billion in 2025. Her lifetime giving has now surpassed the combined donations of Elon Musk, Larry Page and Jeff Bezos, according to reports.
Scott’s giving has been marked by large, unrestricted grants and relatively little fanfare. She has donated to more than 2,500 organisations, including at least $760 million to 18 historically Black colleges and universities. In 2025 alone, she gave $7.2 billion to about 225 organisations, making her the world’s biggest individual philanthropist that year.
Also Read: MacKenzie Scott once needed $1,000 to stay in college
Warren Buffett remains the biggest philanthropist on the list, with $68.3 billion in lifetime giving, followed by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates with $52.6 billion. Scott ranks third with $26.4 billion, ahead of Michael Bloomberg at $25.4 billion and George Soros at $24 billion.
The figures also highlight a broader shift in billionaire philanthropy. The 25 most generous American philanthropists have collectively donated $275 billion, equal to just 14% of their combined fortunes. Six of the top 25 are solo women, while another 11 are husband-and-wife or former husband-and-wife teams.
Scott’s giving has also drawn attention because she was absent from the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 2025 Philanthropy 50 ranking, which listed Michael Bloomberg as the biggest donor of the year with $4.3 billion. The Chronicle said Scott was excluded because her representatives did not confirm the exact amount she contributed to donor-advised funds.
The Chronicle said increasing secrecy among ultra-wealthy donors is making it harder to track billionaire philanthropy. Elon Musk, for example, disclosed a gift of about 210,000 shares worth nearly $100 million, but the donation could not be included because the recipients were not identified.
Here's What a New Metal Roof Should Cost In 2026HomeBuddy | Sponsored
SponsoredLearn MoreUndo
Widow Dating Online. Browse ProfilesFanfills | Sponsored
SponsoredLearn MoreUndo
Related SearchesSearch for Budget Senior Monthly Phone Plan on Yahoo. View top results now.Yahoo | Sponsored
SponsoredLearn moreUndo
Kidney: the 2 AM Discovery That Changed Everythingusa.hydrohealth | Sponsored
SponsoredRead MoreUndo
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onMacKenzie Scott philanthropybillionaire philanthropyAmazon stake salemackenzie scottjeff bezos donationelon musk donationamazonAmerican billionaires donation
Written by: Sierra Jones | The Citizen Edition
“Adventure never ends here”