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Nvidia Becomes First Public Company to Reach $4 Trillion Market Value Amid AI Boom

Nvidia achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday by becoming the first public company ever to reach a market capitalization of $4 trillion. The leading chipmaker’s shares rose 1.63% to $162.61, touching an all-time high of $164 during the day. The surge reflects strong investor confidence fueled by booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, where Nvidia plays a critical role.

Industry experts weighed in on Nvidia’s dominance and the challenges ahead:

  • Michael Ashley Schulman, CIO at Running Point Capital, highlighted potential competition risks from tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta designing their own chips. He also noted quantum computing could become a future disruptor, possibly within 5 to 7 years.

  • Dan Morgan, Senior Portfolio Manager at Synovus Trust, pointed out that AI capital expenditure by top hyperscalers (Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, Alphabet) is expected to jump to over $330 billion in 2025, up from $240 billion in 2024. Morgan flagged investor concerns about a possible slowdown in Nvidia sales as customers transition to new Blackwell chips.

  • Gil Luria, Analyst at D.A. Davidson, said Nvidia will remain a key AI hardware provider despite likely losing some market dominance. He noted the company’s valuation is high but supported by strong investment visibility.

  • Chuck Carlson, CEO of Horizon Investment Services, described Nvidia as the “golden child” of AI investment, emphasizing its leadership and growth in accelerated computing and generative AI.

  • Art Hogan, Chief Market Strategist at B Riley Wealth, praised Nvidia’s transformation from a gaming chipmaker to a crypto mining and now AI powerhouse, calling its recent growth “amazing.”

  • Robert Pavlik, Senior Portfolio Manager at Dakota Wealth, called Nvidia the backbone of AI infrastructure and predicted further stock upside as companies increasingly focus investments on AI.

Nvidia’s market cap milestone underscores its central role in powering AI advancements and signals investor appetite for exposure to this transformative technology sector.

Qualcomm to Acquire Alphawave for $2.4 Billion to Boost AI Data Center Expansion

U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm announced on Monday that it will acquire British semiconductor firm Alphawave for approximately $2.4 billion, signaling Qualcomm’s strategic push into the rapidly growing AI data center market. Alphawave’s shares surged over 22% following the announcement.

Alphawave specializes in high-speed semiconductor technologies for data centers, an area that complements Qualcomm’s existing portfolio and helps diversify its reliance beyond the smartphone sector. Qualcomm, a leading supplier of chips for major smartphone brands including Apple and Xiaomi, is increasingly focusing on data centers and personal computers, partly due to Apple’s shift toward in-house processors for iPhones.

Alphawave shareholders will receive 183 pence per share, representing a nearly 96% premium over the company’s closing price on March 31, just before Qualcomm revealed its interest. Qualcomm’s shares rose about 4% on the news.

The deal includes two alternative all-share offers following extensions by the UK takeover panel, but Alphawave’s board plans to recommend the cash offer as fair and reasonable.

Jefferies analysts expect no significant regulatory hurdles, citing Alphawave’s recent exit from its Chinese joint venture, WiseWave.

Qualcomm President and CEO Cristiano Amon emphasized that Alphawave’s advanced connectivity and compute technologies will enhance Qualcomm’s power-efficient CPU and neural processing units.

The acquisition is slated to close in the first quarter of 2026. Notably, SoftBank-owned Arm had considered acquiring Alphawave but ultimately chose not to proceed.

Wolfspeed’s Shares Plunge to 27-Year Low Amid Uncertainty Over Federal Funding

Shares of Wolfspeed, a prominent chipmaker, dropped by 50% on Friday, hitting their lowest point since 1998. This significant decline stems from uncertainty surrounding the company’s eligibility for federal funding under the U.S. CHIPS Act. Wolfspeed is awaiting approximately $750 million in subsidies promised by the 2022 bipartisan CHIPS Act, which allocated $52.7 billion in federal funds to boost U.S. semiconductor manufacturing.

However, Wolfspeed’s future funding remains in limbo as the company is left vulnerable to changes in the administration’s stance on the law. President Donald Trump has recently voiced opposition to the CHIPS Act, calling for its repeal in favor of using its funds for debt reduction. This has increased concern over the company’s ability to secure the much-needed funds.

Analysts warn that without the CHIPS Act grant, Wolfspeed may face devastating consequences, including the need for major restructuring. The company had hoped the funding would help it accelerate the production of silicon carbide chips, essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy.

As of Friday, Wolfspeed’s shares were trading at $2.72, marking a 59% decline in value for the year. The company has also made changes in leadership, appointing Robert Feurle as CEO, effective May 1. Additionally, Wolfspeed has secured $865 million in tax credits to strengthen its financial position.