NVIDIA has achieved a remarkable financial milestone, becoming the first company to surpass a $5 trillion market cap. This explosive growth, from $300 billion just 18 months prior, highlights the rapid ascent of the technology giant, driven largely by advances in artificial intelligence and semiconductor demand. Under the unwavering leadership of CEO Jensen Huang, NVIDIA has not only transformed the tech landscape but also significantly increased its founder’s net worth.
The Journey of NVIDIA: A CEO’s Vision
NVIDIA’s market capitalization crossed the $1 trillion threshold for the first time in May 2023. This milestone came just eight months after the company was valued at $300 billion. Only 180 days later, NVIDIA’s value soared to $2 trillion, and within 66 more days, it reached an astonishing $3 trillion. On June 18, 2024, NVIDIA briefly held the title of the world’s most valuable company, with a market cap of $3.34 trillion, overtaking Microsoft’s valuation of $3.32 trillion. As of today, October 29, 2025, NVIDIA’s market capitalization has hit an unprecedented $5 trillion.
What sets NVIDIA apart from other massive corporations is the enduring presence of its CEO, Jensen Huang. Since the company’s inception in 1993, Huang has been at the helm without interruption. In contrast, other tech giants have seen leadership changes: Microsoft had Bill Gates as CEO for 25 years before transitioning through two additional leaders, while Amazon’s Jeff Bezos served for 26 years. Apple’s Tim Cook has led the company since 2011, and Mark Zuckerberg has been Facebook’s CEO since 2004. Notably, Elon Musk did not co-found Tesla but joined it in 2004, becoming CEO only in 2008.
The Wealth of Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang holds a 3.5% stake in NVIDIA and possesses 3 million vested options. At NVIDIA’s lowest valuation in February 2019, his net worth was approximately $3.5 billion. Following the milestone market caps, his wealth surged dramatically: it reached $35 billion at the $1 trillion level, escalated to $70 billion when the company hit $2 trillion, and has now soared to $175 billion with the current valuation of $5 trillion. This places Huang as the eighth richest person globally, a stark contrast to his early earnings of just $2.65 per hour as a teenager working at Denny’s.
For context, when Microsoft went public, Gates owned 45% of the company, but after years of stock sales, he now holds about 1.4%. If he had retained 35% ownership, he would currently be a trillionaire.
Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang spent his early years in Thailand. His father, working for the Carrier Air Conditioning Company, aspired to send his sons to school in the U.S. At the age of nine, Huang and his brother moved to America, where they unexpectedly attended a Baptist boarding school in Kentucky. They thrived academically, and Huang later contributed millions to the institution. He graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Oregon State in 1984, the same year Apple launched its first Macintosh. After roles at LSI and AMD, Huang co-founded NVIDIA in 1993, pitching the idea during a lunch at Denny’s. Today, he stands as one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, reflecting a remarkable journey from humble beginnings to leading a tech powerhouse.
The Evolution of NVIDIA’s Market Cap
NVIDIA specializes in producing semiconductors, essential components found in an array of devices such as smartphones, computers, gaming consoles, and even vehicles. Recently, the company’s chips have played a pivotal role in the burgeoning fields of cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence.
In 2016, NVIDIA’s market cap was a modest $16 billion, a period when cryptocurrencies were still largely unknown. By the end of 2018, as the crypto market gained traction, NVIDIA’s valuation skyrocketed to $170 billion. This figure remained stable until late 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic shifts.
As hype around NFTs and cryptocurrencies surged, NVIDIA’s market cap reached $750 billion by the conclusion of 2021. However, as the cryptocurrency bubble burst and economic challenges arose, its value plummeted to $300 billion by October 2022—a notable decline of 60%. Yet, with the renewed excitement surrounding artificial intelligence, NVIDIA has since rebounded, reclaiming its status as the most valuable company in the world with a $5 trillion market cap.
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