Wikipedia shysters

Have you donated to the Wikimedia Foundation this Christmas? Have you ever donated to keep Wikipedia free and ads free? If you have, you might like to know that you have helped contribute to a huge fortune controlled by Wikipedia's parent Wikimedia Foundation.

The total consolidated assets of Wikimedia Foundation and its associated entities are estimated to be $450 million.

How do I know this? Well, I asked my AI friend, Gemini, of course. Question and answers below. I have not verified the facts and figures personally, and reproduce them verbatim for the record. The facts would be easy enough to verify if anyone cares to. I have better things to do.

What grieves me about Wikipediamedia's (we don't do advertising) advertising campaign, is its thorough dishonesty. While giving the impression that the whole thing is about to go bust, they have accumulated funds in a fat treasury amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. All by deploying professional fundraising approaches and staff.

Not only that, the top bosses of this charitable organisation, while claiming to bring free and 'ad-free' knowledge to the world, also prove that charity really does begin at home. Their own homes. Here is a list of their salaries, as disclosed to the IRS.

Top pay for Wikimedia top bosses

Thank you, generous donors, for making our fun, high-profile, executive lifestyles possibly through your donations.

Not only does Wikithievia fleece their supporters, they also steal intellectual property from their contributors. Well, almost, because donors and contributors of course make their donations and contributions voluntarily. That is their choice, assuming they are in possession of the facts. I am hoping that this article, and the Gemini-generated information below helps donors and volunteer contributors to be better informed. As I say, facts have not been independently verified, so please feel free to check them if you have any concerns.

The generative request

Provide an analysis of assets held by Wikimedia foundation and any closely related organisations

Gemini Response

The following text is AI-generated and reproduced verbatim and without verification. Formatted for ease of reading only

As of late 2025, the financial profile of the Wikimedia Foundation (WMF) and its associated entities reflects a significant accumulation of wealth and a structured diversification of assets. The organization has transitioned from a simple non-profit to a more complex ecosystem involving an independent endowment and a commercial subsidiary.

The total consolidated assets across these entities are now estimated to be approximately $450 million.

1. Wikimedia Foundation (The Core Non-Profit)

The WMF holds the primary operational assets, including the servers and the intellectual property (trademarks) for Wikipedia.

• Investment Strategy: The WMF maintains a highly liquid portfolio. A significant portion is held in short-term investments to cover 12–18 months of operating expenses, which have grown to roughly $180M–$190M annually.
• Physical Assets: Its physical assets are relatively small, consisting primarily of server hardware and data center equipment located in the US and globally.

2. Wikimedia Endowment (The Long-term Fund)

Previously held as a donor-advised fund at the Tides Foundation, the Wikimedia Endowment became an independent 501(c)(3) in 2023. This is a "rainy day" fund designed to support the projects in perpetuity.

• Total Assets: $144.3 million (as of June 30, 2024; estimated higher in 2025).
• Composition: Comprised of $20.1M in cash and $123.4M in investments.
• Purpose: The endowment is restricted; only a portion of its investment gains is typically intended for use, protecting the principal to ensure Wikipedia remains online regardless of future fundraising fluctuations.

3. Wikimedia Enterprise (Commercial Subsidiary)

Launched in 2021, Wikimedia Enterprise is a for-profit LLC subsidiary that sells high-speed data feeds to tech giants (like Google, Amazon, and AI companies).

• Financial Status: In late 2025, it reported its first full year of profitability.
• Revenue Contribution: It generated $8.3 million in FY 2024-2025 (a 148% increase year-over-year).
• Asset Role: While its net assets are small compared to the Foundation, it acts as a "revenue-generating asset" that reduces the organization’s total reliance on individual donations.

4. Closely Related Organizations

• The "Wikimedia Movement" includes several other layers of asset holders:
• Chapters and Affiliates: Organizations like Wikimedia UK or Wikimedia Deutschland are legally independent but receive significant grants from the WMF. Wikimedia UK, for instance, holds approximately £1.15 million in assets.
• Tides Advocacy (Knowledge Equity Fund): The WMF previously transferred $4.5 million to Tides Advocacy to manage a fund dedicated to racial equity in free knowledge. These funds are technically held by Tides but are directed toward Wikimedia-aligned goals.

Summary of Total Holdings (Approximate)

Key Trend: There has been community debate regarding this asset growth. Critics point out that hosting costs remain low (only ~$3.4M/year), while assets and staffing costs continue to climb. The Foundation maintains that these assets are necessary to protect against censorship, legal threats, and economic downturns.

End of AI-generated text

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