Alphabet just passed Apple as the world's #2 most valuable company

Business Jan 08, 2026

Big news in tech: Alphabet (Google's parent company) has officially overtaken Apple to become the second most valuable company on the planet.
As per the latest available data, Alphabet's market value hit $3.88 trillion, with shares up 2.45% for the day and a massive 64.73% jump over the past year.

What's driving these shifts?

Apple now sits at number three with a $3.84 trillion market cap and more modest growth this year.
Meanwhile, NVIDIA is still on top at $4.59 trillion, riding high on AI demand and a 25% stock surge over the past year.
Alphabet's big boost comes from its AI platform Gemini and Waymo robotaxis rolling out in cities like Phoenix and LA—making it clear that AI and self-driving tech are shaping who leads Silicon Valley right now.