Microsoft was the first company to exceed a $500 billion market capitalization during the 1990s.
Microsoft passed the half-trillion-dollar level in 1998, during the rapid expansion of personal-computer software and the Windows operating system. Its Office productivity suite and enterprise software also helped make the company exceptionally profitable and valuable to investors.
The milestone occurred before the company became associated with cloud computing. Azure was introduced later, in 2010, while Microsoft’s 1990s dominance was centered on Windows, Office, and software licensing for personal computers.
Microsoft’s market-cap history is sometimes mixed up with its later rivalry with Apple. Microsoft briefly became the world’s most valuable company in 1998 after overtaking General Electric, but that ranking event is distinct from crossing the $500 billion threshold.