Thanks to a recent stock surge, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is once again the world's richest man, a title he hasn't held since 2007, according to Bloomberg.
Gates' fortune is now worth $72.1 billion, according to Bloomberg, putting him about $550 million ahead of the former No. 1, Mexico's Carlos Slim. Gates' wealth has jumped 10% this year as Microsoft's shares have risen.
On Thursday, the company's stock price hit a five-year high. Slim's wealth has fallen $2 billion this year as Mexico's Congress passed a monopoly-busting telecom bill that threatens his company America Movil SAB's commanding position in the market.
Since 2007, Gates and his wife Melinda have given more than $28 billion to charity. The couple plans to eventually give away 95% of their fortune.
The surge in Microsoft stock comes despite reportedly poor sales for Windows 8, the company's latest operating system. In a recent interview, Gates said he expects the OS to build momentum over time and that iPad owners are frustrated by the lack of a keyboard and Microsoft Office functionality.