Tzu Chi's Annual Donations Reach $7 Billion, Yet Still Report a Loss of NT$1.737 Billion! Stunning Total Assets and Massive Expenditures Revealed

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tzu Chi Foundation invested substantial resources to procure BNT vaccines for the domestic population. However, it was subsequently revealed that the foundation fell victim to a scam involving NT$1.06 billion. Notably, this high amount was solely attributed to consultant fees and did not include the actual cost of the vaccines themselves.

According to reports from China Times News Network, upon reviewing Tzu Chi’s 2021 financial report, various parties discovered that the accounting records lacked detailed expenditure entries regarding vaccine procurement. Furthermore, subsequent financial statements failed to legally recognize this significant loss, triggering overwhelming criticism over deficiencies in internal governance.

Just how massive is Tzu Chi’s total asset base? The staggering scale of its assets and land value has now been disclosed.

As the controversy surrounding vaccine procurement intensifies, Tzu Chi Foundation’s long-accumulated financial strength and asset size have once again become a focal point of public attention. According to China Times News Network, the latest 2025 financial report reveals that Tzu Chi Foundation currently holds total assets amounting to NT$128.8 billion, demonstrating extraordinary financial strength.

Further analysis of the specific structure of Tzu Chi’s assets shows that the total value of fixed assets such as real estate, plants, and equipment reaches NT$81.6 billion, accounting for over 60% of total assets. Among these, the land value held by Tzu Chi across Taiwan exceeds NT$56.3 billion, while the value of buildings and structures amounts to NT$22.3 billion, indicating that the majority of its assets are concentrated in real estate.

Are annual donations of NT$7 billion insufficient? Massive expenditures have led to a financial shortfall of NT$2 billion.

In terms of revenue sources, Tzu Chi continues to receive stable support from a broad base of the public and followers. In 2025, total donation income reached NT$7.254 billion, broken down into charitable donations of NT$3.239 billion, project-specific income of NT$2.087 billion, international donation income of NT$1.882 billion, and in-kind donations valued at NT$460 million. Statistical data over the past five years show that Tzu Chi’s annual donation income has consistently remained at a high level between NT$7 billion and NT$7.5 billion.

In addition to donations, Tzu Chi earned NT$663 million in bank interest income in 2025 thanks to its large cash asset deposits. Over the past five years, the average annual interest return has exceeded NT$600 million. However, Tzu Chi’s operational expenses are equally astonishing. In 2025, total expenditures surged to NT$10.626 billion, directly resulting in a deficit of NT$1.737 billion for the year. When foreign exchange losses due to currency fluctuations are included, the overall funding shortfall expands further to NT$2.084 billion.

Where does over NT$100 billion spent annually go? The core components of operational expenditures are now revealed.

Faced with such massive annual expenditures totaling NT$10.626 billion, Tzu Chi’s financial report discloses that operational expenses accounted for NT$9.466 billion in 2025, representing the primary area of fund consumption. These operational expenses are allocated across multiple major ventures and service areas to sustain the organization’s extensive operations.

Specifically, international charitable expenditures amounted to NT$4.351 billion, while domestic charitable expenditures were NT$4.119 billion—these two categories alone account for the vast majority of operational resources. Educational initiatives received NT$716 million in funding; administrative management expenses totaled NT$442 million; and medical programs were allocated NT$279 million. Despite its substantial financial scale, how Tzu Chi will rebuild a transparent and accountable financial mechanism under its massive asset management remains an ongoing concern for donors and the general public alike.