MacKenzie Bezos signs pledge to give at least half of her $36 billion fortune to charity


MacKenzie Bezos has become the latest billionaire to commit to giving at least half of their fortune to charity.
Bezos, whose net worth is estimated to be $36.6 billion, on Tuesday signed the Giving Pledge, a campaign launched by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett that encourages the world's wealthiest people to give a majority of their wealth to charity during their lifetime or in their wills, CNN reports. In addition to Gates and Buffett, other past signatories have included Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Her divorce settlement with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos makes MacKenzie Bezos the fourth-richest woman in the world, Bloomberg reports, as well as the world's 22nd richest person. She is among the wealthiest people to sign the Giving Pledge so far. Jeff Bezos, the richest person in the world, has not signed it.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I have a disproportionate amount of money to share," Bezos said on Tuesday. "My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won't wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty."
Among the other new signatories announced on Tuesday were WhatsApp Co-founder Brian Acton, whose net worth is reportedly $4 billion, and Pinterest Co-founder Paul Sciarra, whose net worth is $1.6 billion, Forbes reports. They were among the 19 people who signed the Giving Pledge on Tuesday, bringing its total number of signatories to 204.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The Masters: Rory McIlroy finally banishes his demons
In the Spotlight McIlroy's grand slam triumph will go down as 'one of the greatest and most courageous victories in the history of golf'
By The Week UK
-
What is your net worth and why is it worth knowing?
the explainer Take stock of your assets
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
Hantavirus: the rare pathogen linked to rodents that attacks the lungs
The Explainer Despite the low risk of contracting it, the virus could be potentially deadly
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US