Nvidia became the world’s most valuable public company by market capitalization after its 2024 share-price surge.
Nvidia briefly took the top position in June 2024, when its market capitalization moved above Apple and Microsoft. The company’s shares had risen dramatically as investors anticipated continued demand for its graphics-processing units, or GPUs, used in artificial-intelligence computing.
Nvidia began as a graphics-chip designer for personal computers and became a major supplier of accelerated computing hardware. Its CUDA software platform helped developers use Nvidia GPUs for scientific computing and machine learning, strengthening the company’s position beyond gaming.
The ranking changed repeatedly during 2024 because market capitalization depends on live share prices. Nvidia did not permanently hold first place, and a company’s position can vary between intraday and closing measurements. This question concerns the 2024 market-cap ranking, not revenue, total assets, or the size of the semiconductor industry. Nvidia’s history also shows how a specialist hardware company can become a global valuation leader.