Microsoft briefly became the world’s most valuable company in November 2021 after passing Apple.
Microsoft’s market capitalization moved above Apple’s during November 2021 trading, making Microsoft the highest-valued publicly traded company at that moment. The ranking changed as investors reassessed technology shares and as Apple faced concerns about supply-chain constraints affecting iPhone production.
Microsoft’s valuation was supported by its cloud-computing business, especially Azure, as well as enterprise software, Windows, Office, gaming, and professional networking through LinkedIn. The company’s shift toward recurring subscriptions and cloud services had changed its financial profile from the era when Windows licensing dominated its results.
Market-cap leadership is not permanent. It depends on share prices, shares outstanding, currency movements, and the exact time being measured. Apple and Microsoft have repeatedly exchanged the top position, so a historical ranking should always include a date or period.