Nvidia Reaches $4 Trillion Milestone Before Microsoft and Apple
Some of you might still remember Nvidia’s impressive performance in its Q1 FY2026 earnings , where the company reported a staggering $44.1 billion in revenue — a 69% jump compared to the same period last year and a 12% increase from the previous quarter. Even more exciting, the company projected an even stronger Q2, forecasting revenue of around $45 billion .
But before that forecast becomes reality, Nvidia has made history by achieving a major financial milestone: its market capitalization has now crossed the $4 trillion mark , according to reports from CNBC.
This puts Nvidia ahead of both Apple and Microsoft , two tech giants that previously led the race to high valuations. While Apple currently holds a market cap of around $3.1 trillion and Microsoft sits at $3.7 trillion , Nvidia’s surge has placed it firmly at the top.
Other major players like Alphabet (Google’s parent company) and Meta trail behind with valuations of $2.1 trillion and $1.8 trillion , respectively.
📈 What’s Driving Nvidia’s Historic Growth?
The main force behind this rapid rise is the exploding demand for AI-related hardware , especially since the breakout popularity of generative AI tools like ChatGPT in late 2022.
Nvidia’s specialized chips — particularly those used in data centers and cloud computing — have become essential components for companies building and deploying AI models at scale. Tech giants like Microsoft , which offer public cloud services, heavily rely on Nvidia’s GPUs to power their AI workloads.
This growing dependency on Nvidia’s hardware has fueled not only its revenue but also investor confidence, pushing the stock price up by over 2% today alone .
⚠️ Challenges Ahead: Trade Restrictions and Global Sales Limits
Despite its success, Nvidia hasn’t been immune to external pressures. Recently, the U.S. government imposed new export restrictions on certain products bound for China, including the H20 chip series . These changes require Nvidia to apply for special licenses before shipping key hardware to the region — a move expected to cost the company about $8 billion in lost sales .
Interestingly, the $45 billion revenue estimate Nvidia provided earlier already factors in this loss. Analysts believe that without these restrictions, the company could have easily surpassed $50 billion in quarterly revenue.
🔮 What’s Next for Nvidia and the Tech Industry?
With no clear competitor yet able to match its dominance in AI hardware, many are wondering whether other tech firms can close the gap — or if Nvidia will continue to pull further ahead.
One thing is certain: as long as the world keeps investing in artificial intelligence, Nvidia remains at the heart of the next digital revolution.
