Amazon became the first American company after Apple to reach a $1 trillion market capitalization.
The milestone occurred on September 4, 2018, when Amazon shares rose enough to value the company at approximately $1 trillion. Apple had reached the same level in August, making Amazon the second U.S. company to achieve it.
Amazon began as an online bookseller founded in 1994, but its market value eventually reflected several businesses. These included online marketplaces, subscriptions such as Prime, digital advertising, devices, and Amazon Web Services.
Amazon’s achievement helped establish the trillion-dollar valuation as a recurring benchmark for global technology companies. Market capitalization differs from annual sales: Amazon’s valuation reflected expectations about future earnings as well as its existing business.