Microsoft owns Windows and became the second U.S. company to exceed a $1 trillion market capitalization.
Microsoft crossed the $1 trillion mark in April 2019, following Apple’s earlier achievement. Its valuation was supported by strong demand for cloud computing through Azure, alongside established businesses including Windows, Office, enterprise software, gaming, and professional networking through LinkedIn.
Microsoft was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975. Although Windows remains one of its best-known products, the company’s modern market value depends heavily on recurring software subscriptions and cloud services. Market-capitalization rankings can change daily, so the historic order of milestones is different from a permanent ranking of company size.