Microsoft first reached a $2 trillion market capitalization while led by Satya Nadella.
Microsoft crossed the $2 trillion threshold in June 2021, during Nadella’s tenure as chief executive. Investors had rewarded the company’s growth in cloud computing, enterprise software and subscription services, particularly through Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365.
Microsoft became a publicly traded company in 1986 after building its early business around operating systems and software for personal computers. Under Nadella, who became CEO in 2014, the company placed greater emphasis on cloud infrastructure, recurring subscriptions, developer tools and business services.
Apple had reached $2 trillion before Microsoft, in August 2020, so Microsoft was not the first company overall to hit that valuation. Microsoft’s distinction is that it was the second company to cross the threshold and the first to do so during Nadella’s leadership.