Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang has added nearly $25 billion to his net worth year to date as the chip giant's market value surges past tech titans to become the most valuable company in the world -- but he's still trailing just behind former Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer.
What Happened: Nvidia hit an all-time high on Thursday, closing with a market capitalization of $3.88 trillion, edging out Microsoft and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to take the top spot globally.
The rally came amid broader gains across U.S. equity markets, fueled by stronger-than-expected labor market data that eased recession fears.
The Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows Huang's net worth has grown to $139 billion year-to-date -- an increase of $24.8 billion -- placing him tenth among the world's richest people.
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Former Microsoft chief Ballmer, also benefiting from the tech surge, sits in fifth place with $172 billion, after gaining $25.5 billion this year.
Analysts, including Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives, predict Nvidia and Microsoft could be the first companies to reach a $4 trillion valuation this summer.
The optimism is largely fueled by the global AI boom, in which Nvidia plays a foundational role through its dominance in graphics processing units (GPUs).
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Why It's Important: Nvidia's rise reflects broader trends in technology, AI infrastructure and government policy. The House and Senate passed "One Big Beautiful Bill," which increased tax credits for semiconductor manufacturing from 25% to 35% for facilities expanding domestic production by 2026.
The company also stands to benefit from strong technical indicators. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH), where Nvidia accounts for over 21%, has formed a "Golden Cross" -- a bullish signal suggesting continued upward momentum.
Price Action: Nvidia shares climbed 1.33% during Thursday's regular session but dipped 0.056% in after-hours trading, according to Benzinga Pro data. The stock is up 15.20% so far this year and has gained 24.21% over the past 12 months.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings show that NVDA maintains a solid upward trend across the short, medium and long term. While its value ranking remains relatively weak at 6.92, its momentum and growth scores are strong. More detailed performance metrics are available here.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
