The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the world, with an equity market capitalization of just below 32 trillion U.S. dollars as of January 2025. The following three exchanges were the NASDAQ, Shanghai Stock Exchange, and the Japan Exchange Group. What is a stock exchange? A stock exchange is a marketplace where stockbrokers, traders, buyers, and sellers can trade in equities products. The largest exchanges have thousands of listed companies. These companies sell shares of their business, giving the general public the opportunity to invest in them. The oldest stock exchange worldwide is the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, founded in the late sixteenth century. Other functions of a stock exchange Since these are publicly traded companies, every firm listed on a stock exchange has had an initial public offering (IPO). The largest IPOs can raise billions of dollars in equity for the firm involved. Related to stock exchanges are derivatives exchanges, where stock options, futures contracts, and other derivatives can be traded.

With a market capitalization of 3.12 trillion U.S. dollars as of May 2024, Microsoft was the world’s largest company that year. Rounding out the top five were some of the world’s most recognizable brands: Apple, NVIDIA, Google’s parent company Alphabet, and Amazon. Saudi Aramco led the ranking of the world's most profitable companies in 2023, with a pre-tax income of nearly 250 billion U.S. dollars. How are market value and market capitalization determined? Market value and market capitalization are two terms frequently used – and confused - when discussing the profitability and viability of companies. Strictly speaking, market capitalization (or market cap) is the worth of a company based on the total value of all their shares; an important metric when determining the comparative value of companies for trading opportunities. Accordingly, many stock exchanges such as the New York or London Stock Exchange release market capitalization data on their listed companies. On the other hand, market value technically refers to what a company is worth in a much broader context. It is determined by multiple factors, including profitability, corporate debt, and the market environment as a whole. In this sense it aims to estimate the overall value of a company, with share price only being one element. Market value is therefore useful for determining whether a company’s shares are over- or undervalued, and in arriving at a price if the company is to be sold. Such valuations are generally made on a case-by-case basis though, and not regularly reported. For this reason, market capitalization is often reported as market value. What are the top companies in the world? The answer to this question depends on the metric used. Although the largest company by market capitalization, Microsoft's global revenue did not manage to crack the top 20 companies. Rather, American multinational retailer Walmart was ranked as the largest company in the world by revenue. Walmart also had the highest number of employees in the world.

The value of global domestic equity market increased from 65.04 trillion U.S. dollars in 2013 to 124.63 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. The United States was by far the leading country with the largest share of total world stocks as of 2024. Global market capitalization in different regions The market capitalization of domestic companies listed varied across different regions of the world. As of Decmber 2024, the Americas region had the largest domestic equity market, totaling 62 trillion U.S. dollars. This region is home to the NYSE and Nasdaq, which are the two largest stock exchange operators in the world. The market capitalization of these two exchanges alone exceeded 60 billion U.S. dollars as of January 2025, larger than the total market capitalization in the Asia-Pacific, and in the EMEA regions in the same period. Largest Stock Exchanges in Latin America As of December 2024, the B3 (Brasil Bolsa Balcao) was the biggest stock exchange in Latin America in terms of market capitalization and the second-largest in terms of number of listed companies. Following the B3 were the Mexican Stock Exchange and the Santiago Stock Exchange in Chile. The most valuable company in Latin America is listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange: Fomento Económico Mexicano, a multinational beverage and retail company headquartered in Monterrey, had market cap of 177 billion U.S. dollars as of March 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Market Capitalization Outside of Top 10 Largest Companies to Total Market Capitalization for Indonesia (DDAM02IDA156NWDB) from 1998 to 2017 about Indonesia, market cap, companies, and stock market.

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Global equity markets have seen significant growth and regional shifts over the past decade. The Americas region has solidified its position as the dominant player, with its domestic equity market value surging from 28.3 trillion U.S. dollars in 2013 to an impressive 67.26 trillion U.S. dollars by 2024. U.S. dominance in global stock markets The United States continues to be the powerhouse of global equity markets, accounting for approximately 60 percent of world stocks in 2024. This dominance is largely driven by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and NASDAQ, which are the two largest stock exchange operators worldwide. The NYSE alone boasts an equity market capitalization exceeding 31 trillion U.S. dollars as of December 2024, making it the largest stock exchange globally, which underscores the country's central role in global finance and investment. Regional market dynamics and emerging players While the Americas region leads in market capitalization, other regions are also experiencing growth and evolution. The Asia-Pacific region has seen its market value increase from 18.52 trillion U.S. dollars in 2013 to 37.76 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024, reflecting the rising economic influence of countries in this area. Notably, the Teheran Exchange has emerged as a significant player in the derivatives market, ranking first globally in single stock options contracts traded in 2024, which highlights the increasing sophistication and diversity of global financial markets beyond traditional powerhouses.

Graph and download economic data for Market Capitalization Outside of Top 10 Largest Companies to Total Market Capitalization for Cyprus (DDAM02CYA156NWDB) from 2004 to 2020 about Cyprus, market cap, companies, and stock market.

Graph and download economic data for Market Capitalization Outside of Top 10 Largest Companies to Total Market Capitalization for Ireland (DDAM02IEA156NWDB) from 1998 to 2018 about Ireland, market cap, companies, and stock market.

As of September 11, 2024, the largest company in Singapore is the DBS Group, with a market capitalization of 81.33 billion Singapore dollars. The largest three companies in Singapore by market capitalization were two of its largest banks, followed by consumer internet company Sea Limited. DBS, OCBC, and UOB - stalwarts of Singapore’s financial sector Singapore’s three largest banking groups – DBS Group, OCBC, and UOB, are seen as stable stock market investments. They routinely make up the top three leading companies by market capitalization and rank consistently among the most valuable brands in Singapore. Despite the global economic turmoil, these three banks were forecast to turn profits in 2023, being among the biggest beneficiaries of rising interest rates in the Asia-Pacific region. Singapore is a leading financial hub in the Asia-Pacific region, and its financial sector makes up the third-largest sector of its economy. Sea Limited and Grab - volatility of tech companies in the stock market Among the largest companies in Singapore are two of its biggest tech companies, Sea Limited and Grab Holdings. Sea Limited operates the e-commerce marketplace Shopee and online gaming company Garena, while Grab Holdings is a super-app that provides ride-hailing, food delivery, and digital payment services. Despite the popularity of their services, both companies have faced a turbulent year, with Grab Holdings seeing their share prices drop during the first day of trading. Once valued more than DBS, OCBC, and UOB combined, Sea Limited saw its valuation drop in 2022 amidst net losses of around two billion U.S. dollars in 2021.

Graph and download economic data for Market Capitalization Outside of Top 10 Largest Companies to Total Market Capitalization for Egypt (DDAM02EGA156NWDB) from 2004 to 2020 about Egypt, market cap, companies, and stock market.

Graph and download economic data for Market Capitalization Outside of Top 10 Largest Companies to Total Market Capitalization for Slovenia (DDAM02SIA156NWDB) from 1998 to 2014 about Slovenia, market cap, companies, and stock market.

Key information about Saudi Arabia Market Capitalization

• Saudi Arabia Market Capitalization accounted for 2,667.273 USD bn in Feb 2025, compared with a percentage of 2,740.562 USD bn in the previous month
• Saudi Arabia Market Capitalization is updated monthly, available from Dec 2005 to Feb 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 3,325.689 USD bn in Apr 2022 and a record low of 218.463 USD bn in Feb 2009

CEIC converts monthly Market Capitalization into USD. Saudi Exchange provides Market Capitalization in local currency. Saudi Central Bank period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Since January 2017, the IFRS accounting standard for all listed companies and the Global Industry Classification Standard has been adopted.

Key information about Taiwan Market Capitalization

• Taiwan Market Capitalization accounted for 2,251.495 USD bn in Feb 2025, compared with a percentage of 2,299.279 USD bn in the previous month
• Taiwan Market Capitalization is updated monthly, available from Oct 1983 to Feb 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,299.279 USD bn in Jan 2025 and a record low of 7.209 USD bn in Oct 1983

CEIC converts monthly Market Capitalization into USD. Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation provides Market Capitalization in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.

As of January 1, 2025, tech giants Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft , Amazon, and Alphabet (Google) dominated the S&P 500 index and were the among only nine companies with a market capitalization exceeding one trillion U.S. dollars in the U.S.

Key information about Ivory Coast Market Capitalization: % of GDP

• Ivory Coast Market Capitalization accounted for 16.7 % of its Nominal GDP in Dec 2023, compared with a percentage of 17.3 % in the previous year
• Ivory Coast Market Capitalization: % Nominal GDP is updated yearly, available from Dec 1993 to Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 28.9 % in Dec 2007 and a record low of 0.2 % in Dec 1994

CEIC calculates Market Capitalization as % of Nominal GDP from monthly Market Capitalization and annual Nominal GDP. Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières provides Market Capitalization in local currency. The Central Bank of West African States provides Nominal GDP in local currency. Market Capitalization includes the equity of all eight West African countries listed on the exchange but companies incorporated in Ivory Coast have the largest share. Market Capitalization as % of Nominal GDP prior to 2010 is sourced from the World Bank and excludes collective investment vehicles

Key information about China Market Capitalization

• China Market Capitalization accounted for 11,870.548 USD bn in Feb 2025, compared with a percentage of 11,513.605 USD bn in the previous month
• China Market Capitalization is updated monthly, available from Jul 1995 to Feb 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 14,375.423 USD bn in Dec 2021 and a record low of 40.601 USD bn in Jan 1996

CEIC calculates monthly Market Capitalization as the sum of Market Capitalization of Shanghai Stock Exchange and Market Capitalization of Shenzhen Stock Exchange and converts it into USD. Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange provides Market Capitalization in local currency. The Federal Reserve Board period end market exchange rate is used for currency conversions.

As of December 2024, the Shanghai Stock Exchange had the largest domestic market capitalization among stock exchanges in the Asia Pacific region, amounting to approximately 7.2 trillion U.S. dollars. Second in the ranking was the Shanghai Stock Exchange Group, followed by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Stock exchanges in Asia PacificThe major stock exchanges in the Asia-Pacific region are the Tokyo Stock Exchange in Japan, the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchange in Mainland China, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Hong Kong, and the Bombay Stock Exchange in India, which is also the oldest stock exchange in Asia. Also, five out of the ten largest stock exchange operators in the world are located in Asia.What is market capitalization?Market capitalization, also commonly referred to as market cap, is a measure of the total market value of outstanding shares of a company on the stock market. It indicates a company’s relative size and value while taking various determinants such as risk and the market’s perception into consideration. There are large-cap (>10 billion), mid-cap (2 to 10 billion) and small-cap (300 million to 2 billion) companies depending on their market capitalization.

Bermuda BM: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies data was reported at 207.000 USD mn in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 245.000 USD mn for 2021. Bermuda BM: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies data is updated yearly, averaging 1.912 USD bn from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2022, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.965 USD bn in 2019 and a record low of 207.000 USD mn in 2022. Bermuda BM: Market Capitalization: Listed Domestic Companies data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Bermuda – Table BM.World Bank.WDI: Financial Sector. Market capitalization (also known as market value) is the share price times the number of shares outstanding (including their several classes) for listed domestic companies. Investment funds, unit trusts, and companies whose only business goal is to hold shares of other listed companies are excluded. Data are end of year values converted to U.S. dollars using corresponding year-end foreign exchange rates.;World Federation of Exchanges database.;Sum;Stock market data were previously sourced from Standard & Poor's until they discontinued their 'Global Stock Markets Factbook' and database in April 2013. Time series have been replaced in December 2015 with data from the World Federation of Exchanges and may differ from the previous S&P definitions and methodology.

While nearly every country in Europe has a stock exchange, only five are considered major, and have a market capital of over one trillion U.S dollars. European stock exchanges make up two of the top ten global major stock markets. Europe’s biggest stock exchange is the Euronext which combines five markets based in Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, London, Oslo and Paris. Euronext The Euronext Stock Exchange saw a significant increase in total market capitalization between 2021 and 2022, before increasing again during 2023. As of March 2024, the luxury goods company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton was the largest company listed on the Euronext Stock Exchange in terms of market capitalization. Globally, the Euronext Stock Exchange is the fourth largest. London Stock Exchange The London Stock Exchange (LSE) was the second largest stock exchange in Europe and ninth globally in terms of market capitalization of domestic listed companies. As of May 2024, there were 1,775 companies trading on the LSE with the LSE's combined market capitalization amounting to approximately 3.86 trillion British pounds during the same period.

The market capitalization of companies in the United States was almost nine times than that of China in 2024, making up a large share of the world's total market capitalization. Listed companies in the U.S. had a total market capitalization of over 61 trillion U.S. dollars - against seven trillion U.S. dollars recorded by second-placed China in 2024. Japan ranked third with a total market capitalization of just over 4.7 trillion U.S. dollars.