Apple reclaims title of world's most valuable company from NVIDIA

The race between giants in the tech world has reached a new stage. Apple has surpassed NVIDIA in market capitalization, becoming the world's most valuable company once again. This shift reflects changing investor sentiment and strategies in the AI market. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

As of the close of trading on Friday, Apple's market value reached approximately $4.88 trillion. Meanwhile, NVIDIA shares fell by 3.5%, with its capitalization dropping to $4.86 trillion. According to ixbt.com, NVIDIA was the first company in history to cross the $5 trillion mark in October of last year, but market leadership has now returned to the Cupertino giant.

A new strategy in the AI race

Until recently, Apple was seen as lagging in the AI race because the company did not invest heavily in creating its own large language models like Microsoft or Google. However, the long-awaited Siri update and the decision to integrate third-party AI models into the system restored investor confidence.

Instead of building its fundamental models from scratch, Apple chose to skillfully implement ready-made solutions into its ecosystem. The company's record financial performance in the last quarter proved the effectiveness of this business model. This caused investors to shift their focus from AI chip manufacturers back to the software and consumer goods segment.

Decline in the semiconductor market

The decline in NVIDIA shares is linked to a general trend in the semiconductor industry. The semiconductor manufacturer index has fallen nearly 19% from its historical peak. Market participants are currently re-evaluating the sustainability of AI-related growth.

At the same time, the market's focus is shifting toward memory chip manufacturers. For example, while Micron reached a $1 trillion capitalization in May, SK Hynix debuted on the Nasdaq exchange this month. These companies are benefiting significantly from long-term contracts to supply essential components for AI systems.

Experts note that the change in leadership does not mean NVIDIA's position has weakened. The company still dominates the GPU market, which plays a key role in AI infrastructure. For Apple, the main risks are rising memory chip prices and potential product price hikes due to new tariffs, which could impact future sales volumes.