Apple and Nvidia battled it out on Friday for the title of world’s most valuable company, with the iPhone maker briefly topping the long-time leader in market value.
Shares of Nvidia briefly dropped about 3% and its market value dipped to $4.84 trillion in early morning trading, while Apple hovered near a $4.88 trillion market value. Those spots later reversed.
The two companies have had very different fortunes in 2026.
The iPhone maker has surged 22% this year, outperforming the market as investors reward its AI agenda and capital spending model. Shares also hit fresh highs this week.
Meanwhile, the leading AI chipmaker has gained just 7% and largely sat on the sidelines as Wall Street pivots to the memory chip and infrastructure stage of the data center buildout.
That’s benefited chipmaking stocks such as Micron Technology and Sandisk.
Nvidia had held the title of world’s most valuable company since June 2025, when it surpassed Microsoft. In October, the company became the first to hit a historic $5 trillion market cap.
That same month, Apple crossed a $4 trillion market cap for the first time ever on the heels of strong iPhone sales.
