( CNN ) -- Maybe the cash-strapped U.S. government should start selling iPads . According to the latest statement from the U.S. Treasury , the government had an operating cash balance Wednesday of $ 73.8 billion . That 's still a lot of money , but it 's less than what Steve Jobs has lying around . Tech juggernaut Apple had a whopping $ 76.2 billion in cash and marketable securities at the end of June , according to its last earnings report . Unlike the U.S. government , which is scrambling to avoid defaulting on its debt , Apple takes in more money than it spends . This symbolic feat -- the world 's most highly valued tech company surpassing the fiscal strength of the world 's most powerful nation -- is just the latest pinnacle for Apple , which has been on an unprecedented roll . Its Macs , iPhones and iPads remain hot sellers , its stock has surged past $ 400 a share and Apple just became the world 's largest smartphone vendor by volume . There 's been a lot of speculation about what Apple might buy with its piles of cash -- Facebook and Sony being two of the more high-profile examples -- but the company does n't seem to be in any hurry to make a move . `` We do n't let the cash burn a hole in the pocket or make stupid acquisitions , '' CEO Jobs said last fall . `` We 'd like to continue to keep our powder dry because we think there are one or more strategic opportunities in the future . '' Offering Uncle Sam a short-term loan is probably not one of them .
U.S. Treasury has an operating cash balance of $ 73.8 billion -- less than Apple 's cash reserves . Apple just became the world 's largest smartphone vendor by volume .