Nvidia briefly became the world’s most valuable public company in June 2024 after its market value rose above Microsoft’s.
Nvidia took the top position during trading on June 18, 2024. Its market capitalization surged as investors assessed the company as a leading supplier of the specialized processors needed for artificial-intelligence computing.
The ranking was not permanent. Market capitalization changes whenever share prices change, and the leading position can shift between companies within minutes. Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple repeatedly exchanged the top places during this period.
Nvidia’s ascent marked a change in the composition of the market-capitalization leaders. Earlier lists were dominated by companies built around personal computers, smartphones, software, and online commerce; Nvidia’s leadership reflected the financial importance of AI infrastructure.