Microsoft became the second company to reach a $2 trillion market capitalization, after Apple, in June 2021.
Microsoft crossed the $2 trillion mark on June 24, 2021, as its shares traded at record levels. Apple had become the first company to reach that valuation in August 2020. Microsoft’s milestone showed how strongly investors valued its recurring software revenue, cloud infrastructure, enterprise services, and productivity products.
The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. Its business evolved from personal-computer software into a much broader technology platform. Azure cloud services, Office subscriptions, Windows, gaming, and professional networking all contributed to its modern scale.
Market capitalization changes constantly with share prices, so the milestone was an intraday market event rather than a permanent ranking. Microsoft later competed closely with Apple and other mega-cap companies for the top position.