Apple had the largest market capitalization among publicly traded companies at the end of 2021.
At the close of trading on December 31, 2021, Apple remained the leading listed company by market value, ahead of Microsoft. Its market capitalization was approximately $2.9 trillion at that point, based on the closing share price and shares outstanding.
Apple’s position reflected strong investor demand for its hardware-and-services ecosystem. The company had already become the first to pass $1 trillion and $2 trillion, and it briefly touched $3 trillion during trading in January 2022.
Year-end rankings are snapshots, not permanent standings. Share prices fluctuate every trading day, and changes in outstanding shares can also affect market capitalization. Private companies are normally excluded from comparisons of publicly traded companies.