Apple briefly overtakes Nvidia as most valuable company

Apple briefly overtook Nvidia as the most valuable company, fueled by AI advances and China sales, but Nvidia regained the lead by the end of July 17, 2026.

Apple briefly surpassed Nvidia to become the world's most valuable company, reaching a market capitalization of $4.92 trillion compared to Nvidia's $4.86 trillion on July 17, 2026. This milestone was driven by Apple's momentum in artificial intelligence, particularly following approval to offer Apple Intelligence services in China and a major Siri revamp. Strong sales growth in China, an expanded iPhone lineup, and anticipation of new AI features have boosted investor confidence, resulting in Apple shares rising over 7% in a week. However, Nvidia reclaimed the top spot by the end of the day, highlighting ongoing volatility in the competition for first place. Analysts note that Apple's future performance will hinge on the success of its AI initiatives and continued growth in China. Meanwhile, shifts in investor focus toward on-device AI and other tech sector opportunities could influence Nvidia's valuation.