Alphabet shares soar and place Sergey Brin as the third richest man on the planetBy Luís Henrique Costa
4 min read
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The co-founder of Google, Esse’s movement in the billionaire rankings placed him ahead of prominent figures such as Jeff Bezos, from Amazon, and Larry Ellison, from Oracle, highlighting the growing influence of the technology sector and artificial intelligence in the global economy.
The financial performance that supported this rise was marked by a 1.3% jump in Alphabet shares, which reached approximately US$337 in the afternoon of the same day. Durante the previous seven trading days, the company’s shares had already accumulated a value of 6.6%, indicating strong optimism on the part of investors, while direct competitors faced slight drops in their market values.
With this performance, the market capitalization of Alphabet surpassed the impressive US$4 trillion mark on January 12th. This achievement placed the company in an exclusive group of companies that have already reached this level, such as Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple, reinforcing its resilience and the impact of its recent innovations, especially in the field of artificial intelligence.
The scenario of the advancement of artificial intelligence
The significant advance in Alphabet shares reflects the market’s growing optimism regarding the company’s strategic direction, particularly with regard to artificial intelligence. Este move comes amid debates about a possible overvaluation of AI-linked assets, but Alphabet has strived to consolidate itself as an undisputed leader in the sector by 2026. The company has presented a series of crucial developments that justify investors’ confidence, such as the launch of the acclaimed AI model, Gemini 3, and the reveal of its seventh generation chip, the Ironwood. Essas innovations represent a direct response to fierce competition, especially from companies like Nvidia, and demonstrate deep, long-term investment that creates barriers to entry for new competitors, as highlighted by industry analysts.
Details of Sergey Brin’s fortune
Sergey Brin’s net worth reached an estimated $255.6 billion on January 13, representing a $4.9 billion increase in a single day. With this value, he positioned himself behind only his fellow co-founder, Larry Page, whose assets were estimated at US$144.7 billion, and Elon Musk. Jeff Bezos and Larry Ellison occupied the fourth and fifth positions, with fortunes estimated at US$253.2 billion and US$251.3 billion, respectively, illustrating the volatility of the high-tech stock market.
Despite owning a smaller percentage of Classe C shares of Alphabet compared to Larry Page, Sergey Brin has been more active in selling its shares in recent years. A considerable portion of the proceeds from these sales has been allocated to philanthropic initiatives, including donations of millions of dollars in shares for research into the Parkinson disease, which demonstrates its commitment to innovation beyond the technology sector.
Alphabet’s recent strategy and innovations
Gemini technology, Google’s main focus on artificial intelligence, has become a central pillar for Alphabet’s growth and the consolidation of its leadership in the sector.
A key announcement took place on January 12, revealing a new strategic partnership in which Gemini technology will power Apple’s AI modeling infrastructure.
This collaboration validates the technical capabilities of Gemini and positions Google as a crucial technology provider to other industry giants, expanding their ecosystem.
Analyst reports in early January, such as those from Citi, named Alphabet as one of the top growth stocks for 2026, reinforcing the market’s positive outlook.
Performance of Google Cloud on the market
The Google Cloud platform has emerged as a key growth engine for Alphabet, especially due to the high adoption of its artificial intelligence solutions.
Data indicates that approximately 70% of Google Cloud customers already use the company’s AI products, signaling deep integration and confidence in the business market.
This adoption rate not only validates the effectiveness of the tools offered, but also boosts revenue and strengthens the company’s position in the competitive cloud services market.
Historical share appreciation
The robust performance of Alphabet shares in 2025, with an appreciation of 65%, was the company’s best result since 2009, when the increase reached 93%.
This growth is fueled by a combination of factors, including advancements in AI products and the growing demand for cloud-based solutions.
Competition in the hardware sector
The introduction of the seventh-generation Ironwood AI chip represents a strategic move for Alphabet in a market increasingly dependent on specialized hardware.
The development of its own chips allows the company to optimize its AI operations, offering greater efficiency and consolidating its technological autonomy compared to competitors such as Nvidia.
Strategic partnerships and the future
The collaboration with Apple to integrate Gemini technology is a clear example of Alphabet’s strategy of seeking partnerships that expand the reach of its innovations and solidify its competitive position in the global market.
















