Microsoft reached a $3 trillion market capitalization in January 2024, becoming the second company to do so.
Microsoft crossed the threshold during trading on January 24, 2024, after a strong rise in its share price. Apple had been the first company to reach $3 trillion, so Microsoft’s milestone marked the expansion of the elite valuation group rather than the creation of the record itself.
Microsoft’s valuation reflects businesses including Windows, Office, Azure cloud computing, enterprise software and gaming. Its investment in and partnership with OpenAI also increased investor attention to its position in artificial intelligence. A market cap is an equity-market valuation and can change minute by minute; it does not mean Microsoft held $3 trillion in cash. The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975 and became one of the most influential software firms in history.