Microsoft became the first U.S. firm after Apple to surpass a $3 trillion market capitalization.
Microsoft crossed the $3 trillion level during trading in January 2024, after Apple had previously achieved the milestone. The company’s market value reflected investor confidence in its software, cloud-computing, enterprise, gaming, and artificial-intelligence businesses.
Microsoft was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. It became globally prominent through MS-DOS and Windows, then expanded into productivity software such as Microsoft Office, cloud services through Azure, and gaming through Xbox.
The wording distinguishes Microsoft from companies that may have touched similar valuations later or briefly. Market capitalization depends on the live share price and share count, so rankings between Microsoft and Apple can change repeatedly. Microsoft’s historic operating-system business remains important, but its modern valuation also depends heavily on recurring enterprise subscriptions and cloud infrastructure.