The revived "Warren Buffett Charity Lunch" auction entered its final 14 hours on May 14, 2026, with the bidding price surpassing $9 million (approximately 61 million yuan), marking an increase of over 120 times from the starting bid of around $70,000 at the beginning of the week. A significant distinction of this auction is Buffett's return to this classic charitable initiative, now presented in a new format alongside NBA star Stephen Curry and his wife.
According to the auction rules, Buffett has committed to matching the final bid amount with equal donations to two beneficiary organizations. This means if the final winning bid is $9 million, Buffett will additionally donate $9 million each to the GLIDE Foundation and the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation.
Per the official website, the online auction began at 7:30 PM Pacific Time on May 7 and is scheduled to conclude at 7:30 PM on May 14. The winning bidder, along with up to seven guests, will have lunch with Buffett and the Currys on June 24 in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett's hometown.
Notably, this marks the first revival of the event since Buffett announced his "final charity lunch" in 2022. That year, the lunch sold for a record $19 million (approximately 130 million yuan), leading to widespread belief that the legendary two-decade-long charitable auction had concluded.
Since 2000, Buffett's charity lunches have raised over $54 million (approximately 360 million yuan) for the GLIDE Foundation. The initiative was originally championed by Buffett's late wife, Susan Buffett, who was a long-time supporter of GLIDE's mission, forging a strong bond between Buffett and this San Francisco-based nonprofit. The GLIDE Foundation provides free meals, healthcare, housing support, and psychological assistance to homeless and low-income individuals in San Francisco.
The newly added beneficiary, the Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, was founded by Stephen Curry and his wife, focusing on children's education, nutrition, and sports support. With the Currys' involvement, the auction has evolved from a singular event centered on "lunch with Buffett" into a platform connecting business, sports, and philanthropic influence.
As the auction enters its final phase, attention is focused on whether the final price will challenge or even approach the 2022 record. Public estimates indicate that as of May 2026, Buffett's personal net worth is approximately $142 to $150 billion (approximately 10.2 to 10.8 trillion yuan), primarily derived from his holdings in Berkshire Hathaway.