Nvidia hits $4trn market cap after 409,825% rise since 1999, defying global economic threats

Nvidia has stormed into the history books as the first publicly listed company to hit a jaw-dropping $4 trillion market valuation. The artificial intelligence powerhouse saw its share price climb more than 2% when markets opened on Wall Street Wednesday, nudging it over the milestone.

It’s a remarkable ascent for a company that began life in the late 1990s designing graphics cards for video games. Since its 1999 stock market debut, Nvidia’s shares have skyrocketed by an almost unthinkable 409,825%, a surge that outpaces even the wildest growth stories in corporate history.

The achievement comes just a year after Nvidia surpassed the $3 trillion mark and overtook Apple to become the world’s second most valuable listed company. Now, it stands alone at the top.

The secret to Nvidia’s dominance? Artificial intelligence. The company’s high-performance chips are at the core of the current AI revolution, powering everything from advanced data centres to machine learning models. In a world increasingly run by algorithms, Nvidia sells the shovels for the digital gold rush.

Wall Street can’t get enough. Investors continue to pour in, betting big on the AI boom—and Nvidia’s central role in it. Despite fears of a looming global trade conflict, including a possible escalation of Donald Trump’s trade war policies, Nvidia has shown remarkable resilience.

Even the shadow of geopolitical volatility hasn’t dulled the company’s glow. Analysts say its dominance in AI chip production makes it almost untouchable for now. While rivals scramble to catch up, Nvidia keeps shipping chips at scale—and at eye-watering margins.

The milestone also underscores a broader shift in the tech landscape. Apple and Microsoft, long considered the twin titans of global market capitalisation, now trail behind the company that once lived in their shadow.

Notably, the pace of Nvidia’s climb has been astonishing. To put it into perspective: it took Apple over four decades to reach a $3 trillion valuation. Nvidia surpassed that threshold in less than 12 months—and added another trillion just as quickly.

The company’s CEO, Jensen Huang, has become something of a cult figure in tech circles. Often seen in his trademark leather jacket, he has carefully cultivated Nvidia’s brand as the beating heart of the AI age.

Wednesday’s leap follows a consistent rally fuelled by quarterly earnings that have repeatedly smashed expectations. While some sceptics warn of a tech bubble, Nvidia’s fundamentals—solid revenue growth, dominant market share, and relentless demand for its chips—remain robust.

But there are risks.U.S. President Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to escalate trade restrictions on China if he returns to office, and Nvidia, like many U.S. tech giants, has exposure to Asian markets. So far, the threat hasn’t spooked shareholders.

The company’s rise also raises questions about market concentration. With trillions flowing into just a handful of mega-cap tech stocks, some analysts warn of systemic vulnerability should any of them stumble.

Still, for now, Nvidia shows no signs of slowing. In the race to dominate the AI century, it has pulled far ahead—and the market has taken notice.

As Wall Street watches in awe, Nvidia stands as a symbol of just how rapidly the balance of power can shift in the tech world. From humble gaming roots to $4 trillion titan, it is no longer the future—it’s the present.