Nvidia becomes world's first $4tn company

Nvidia has become the first company in the world to reach a market value of $4tn.

Shares in the chip-maker rose by as much as 2.4% to $164 on Wednesday, as the company continues to benefit from the ongoing surge in demand for the tech that powers artificial intelligence (AI).

The US-based company reached a market value of $1tn for the first time in June 2023, and has continued to climb rapidly since.

"This is a historical moment for Nvidia", tech analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities said in a note.

"They are the only game in town with their chips the new gold and oil," he added.

Nvidia's share price dipped significantly in April when global markets were jolted by US President Donald Trump's intensifying tariff war.

Though concerns over Trump's trade policies have not gone away, Nvidia's share price has grown strongly since spring to hit this new landmark.

Eight years ago, Nvidia's stock was worth less than 1% of its current price.

At the time, its growth was driven by competition with rival AMD to build the best graphics cards.

More recently, Nvidia has surged due to rising demand for chips powering generative AI models like ChatGPT.

Its meteoric rise has also elevated CEO Jensen Huang's profile.

Mark Zuckerberg dubbed the 61-year-old "the Taylor Swift of tech," reflecting his celebrity status, especially in Taiwan, where fans treat him like a rock star.

Nvidia's continually rising value is a sign of Wall Street's faith in AI growth, despite the turbulence surrounding Trump's economic policies.

The company reported a total revenue of $44.1bn in the first quarter, marking a 69% jump from a year ago along with a profit of 81 cents a share.