Nasdaq lists Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia, three frequent members of the world’s largest companies by market capitalization.
Nasdaq is a US electronic stock exchange associated especially with technology and growth companies. Apple moved its listing from the Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange in 1980, but returned to Nasdaq in 1989. Microsoft has traded on Nasdaq since its 1986 initial public offering, and Nvidia has also traded there since its public debut.
The exchange is not a company’s market capitalization; it is the marketplace where shares are bought and sold. A firm’s market cap changes with its share price and share count, while its exchange is a listing venue.
Nasdaq’s technology-heavy reputation helps explain why many companies that dominate global market-cap tables trade there. However, the exchange also lists companies from healthcare, consumer goods, finance, and other industries. Large public companies can move between exchanges, so a historical listing date may matter when comparing companies.