Microsoft first surpassed a $1 trillion market capitalization in 2019 after Apple.
Microsoft crossed the threshold during trading on April 25, 2019, making it the third U.S. company to reach that level after Apple and Amazon. The milestone reflected the market’s strong response to Microsoft’s transformation toward recurring software subscriptions and cloud computing.
Under chief executive Satya Nadella, who became CEO in 2014, Microsoft emphasized cloud services such as Azure, subscription products such as Microsoft 365, and software delivered through the internet. Those businesses helped reduce the company’s dependence on traditional packaged software.
Microsoft had originally become famous for Windows and Office, but its later valuation was closely linked to cloud growth. Market-cap rankings can change quickly because they depend on share prices and the number of shares outstanding.