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 New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is the largest stock exchange in the world, with an equity market capitalization of almost ** trillion U.S. dollars as of June 2025. The following three exchanges were the NASDAQ, PINK Exchange, and the Frankfurt Exchange. 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.

The average for 2022 based on 74 countries was 1244.55 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in the USA: 40297.98 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Bermuda: 0.21 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1975 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

The value of global domestic equity market increased from ***** trillion U.S. dollars in 2013 to ****** trillion U.S. dollars in 2024. 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 ** 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 ** 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 a market cap of *** billion U.S. dollars as of March 2025.

Panama: Stock market capitalization, billion USD: The latest value from 2022 is 15.63 billion U.S. dollars, an increase from 15.46 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 1244.55 billion U.S. dollars, based on data from 74 countries. Historically, the average for Panama from 1993 to 2022 is 8.05 billion U.S. dollars. The minimum value, 0.44 billion U.S. dollars, was reached in 1993 while the maximum of 17.27 billion U.S. dollars was recorded in 2019.

The market capitalization of companies in the United States was almost six times than that of China as of June 2025, making up a large share of the world's total market capitalization. Listed companies in the U.S. had a total market capitalization of nearly ** trillion U.S. dollars - against ** trillion U.S. dollars recorded by China. Japan followed as the next country in the ranking of nearly ***** trillion U.S. dollars.

The average for 2022 based on 8 countries was 218.07 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Brazil: 794.42 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Costa Rica: 2.23 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1975 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

View data of the S&P 500, an index of the stocks of 500 leading companies in the US economy, which provides a gauge of the U.S. equity market.

As of Janaury 2025, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq - the two largest stock exchange operators in the United States - held a combined market capitalization for domestic listed companies of over ** trillion U.S. dollars. Both markets were almost evenly sized at this point in time - at approximately ** and ** trillion U.S. dollars, respectively. However, the Nasdaq has grown much quicker than the NYSE since January 2018, when their respective domestic market caps were ** and ** trillion U.S. dollars. Much of this can be attributed to the success of information technology stocks during the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, as the Nasdaq is the traditional venue for companies operating in the tech sector.

Japan: Stock market capitalization, billion USD: The latest value from 2022 is 5380.48 billion U.S. dollars, a decline from 6544.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 1244.55 billion U.S. dollars, based on data from 74 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1975 to 2022 is 3052.32 billion U.S. dollars. The minimum value, 21.53 billion U.S. dollars, was reached in 1977 while the maximum of 6718.22 billion U.S. dollars was recorded in 2020.

The main stock market index of United States, the US500, fell to 6238 points on August 1, 2025, losing 1.60% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 0.17% and is up 16.67% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from United States. United States Stock Market Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on August of 2025.

The average for 2022 based on 11 countries was 511.17 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in Saudi Arabia: 2638.59 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in Tunisia: 7.75 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1975 to 2022. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

As of April 10, 2025, tech giants Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet (Google), and Amazon dominated the S&P 500 index and were among only eight companies with a market capitalization exceeding *** ******** U.S. dollars in the U.S.

Japan's main stock market index, the JP225, fell to 40800 points on August 1, 2025, losing 0.66% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has climbed 2.61% and is up 13.62% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Japan. Japan Stock Market Index (JP225) - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on August of 2025.

The ****************************** continues to dominate the Americas' financial landscape, boasting a staggering market capitalization of over ** trillion U.S. dollars as of March 2024. This figure is over ** percent higher than its closest regional competitor, ******, which stands at approximately **** trillion U.S. dollars. The sheer scale of these American exchanges underscores their critical role in global finance, with the **** alone surpassing the combined market cap of all other listed exchanges in the Americas. Global competition and innovation While U.S. exchanges lead in market capitalization, other global markets are showing strength in different areas. India's stock exchanges, for instance, have become hotbeds for initial public offerings (IPOs). In 2024, the National Stock Exchange of India and Bombay Stock Exchange collectively hosted *** IPO deals, more than double the *** deals on Nasdaq. This surge in IPO activity reflects India's growing economic influence and the increasing appeal of its capital markets to both domestic and international companies. Diversity in exchange metrics Market capitalization is just one measure of an exchange's significance. While third in market cap among American exchanges, for instance, the ******************* leads the continent in the number of listed companies with ***** as of December 2024. This diversity in metrics highlights the multifaceted nature of stock exchange comparisons and the importance of considering various factors when assessing their global impact and appeal to companies seeking public listing.

The total market capitalization of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) took a large hit during the early months of 2020, due mostly part to a mass sell-off of shares caused by the fears surrounding the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Between December 2019 and March 2020, the total value of market capitalization decreased by more than *** billion British pounds (GBP). The overall number of companies currently trading has also been falling. The number of daily trades spiked in March 2020 and then decreased as well. As of February 2025, the total market value of all companies trading on the London Stock Exchange stood at over **** trillion British pounds. European stock exchanges While almost every country has a stock Exchange, in Europe only five exchanges are considered major, with total market capital amounting to over *** trillion euros. The London Stock Exchange is the second largest in Europe and tenth largest worldwide. As of January 2025, Europe’s largest stock exchange, Euronext had a total market capital of listed companies valued at approximately **** trillion U.S. dollars.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global stock market size will be USD 3645.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 1458.1 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.2% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 1093.6 million.
Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 838.4 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% from 2024 to 2031.
Latin America had a market share of more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 182.3 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4% from 2024 to 2031.
Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 72.9 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.7% from 2024 to 2031.
The broker end users held the highest stock market revenue share in 2024.

Market Dynamics of Stock Market

Key Drivers for the Stock Market

Rising Demand for Real-Time Data and Analytics to be an Emerging Market Trend

The increasing need for real-time data and advanced analytics is a significant driver in the stock trading and investing market growth. Investors and traders require up-to-the-minute information on stock prices, market trends, and financial news to make informed decisions quickly. As financial markets become more dynamic and competitive, the ability to access and analyze real-time data becomes crucial for success. Trading applications that offer real-time updates, advanced charting tools, and detailed analytics provide users with a competitive edge by enabling them to react swiftly to market movements. This heightened demand for real-time insights fuels the development and adoption of sophisticated trading platforms that cater to both professional traders and retail investors seeking to maximize their investment opportunities.

Increasing Adoption of Mobile Trading Platforms to Boost Market Growth

The rapid adoption of mobile trading platforms is another key driver for the stock market expansion. With the proliferation of smartphones and mobile internet access, investors are increasingly favoring mobile platforms for their trading activities due to their convenience and accessibility. Mobile trading apps offer users the ability to trade, monitor portfolios, and access financial information on the go, which appeals to both active traders and casual investors. This shift towards mobile platforms is supported by innovations in-app functionality, user experience, and security features. As more investors seek flexibility and real-time engagement with their investments, the demand for sophisticated and user-friendly mobile trading applications continues to rise, propelling market growth.

Restraint Factor for the Stock Market

Stringent Rules and Regulations to Impede the Adoption of Online Trading Platforms

Regulatory compliance and legal challenges are major restraints for the stock trading and investing market share. The financial industry is heavily regulated, with strict rules governing trading practices, data protection, and financial disclosures. Compliance with these regulations requires substantial investment in legal expertise, technology, and administrative processes. Changes in regulations can also introduce uncertainty and additional compliance costs for application providers. For example, regulations such as the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II) in Europe and the Dodd-Frank Act in the U.S. impose stringent requirements on trading practices and transparency. Failure to adhere to these regulations can result in legal penalties and damage to a company’s reputation, which can inhibit market growth and innovation in trading applications.

Market Volatility and Investor Uncertainty

The stock market is highly sensitive to global economic conditions, geopolitical tensions, interest rate fluctuations, and unexpected events (such as pandemics or wars). This inherent volatility can lead to sharp declines in investor confidence and capital outflows, especially among retai...

The NYSE U.S. 100 Index tracks the largest U.S. companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange. This statistic shows the leading 20 companies on the NYSE U.S. 100 Index by market capitalization. As of January 28, 2024 the multinational conglomerate company ****************** ranked as the first, with a market capitalization of over *** billion euros. This was followed by ********* and ***************, with market capitalizations amounting to *** billion and *** billion euros respectively. NYSE U.S. 100 Index vs. Nasdaq 100 Index The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are the largest two stock exchanges in the world, but they differ in the kinds of companies they list. The NYSE is known to list stable and long-lasting firms, commonly referred to as “blue-chip” companies. In contrast, the Nasdaq is renowned for listing the world’s biggest companies, mainly from the tech industry. Similar to the NYSE U.S. 100 Index, the Nasdaq 100 Index tracks the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange, including both U.S. and non-U.S. companies. The leader of the NYSE U.S. 100 index: Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway, the leader of the NYSE U.S. 100 Index, was also among the world's largest companies by revenue in 2023. The company is a multinational conglomerate and holding company with insurance as its core business and interests in other sectors such as railroad, utilities and energy, finance. In fact, Berkshire was the world's biggest insurance company by revenue in 2023. As a holding company, it has significant stakes in some of the world’s largest companies, including Apple, Bank of America and Coca-Cola. With its diverse background in various businesses and industries, Berkshire Hathaway had a total revenue of *** billion U.S. dollars in 2023.

In 2025, stock markets in the United States accounted for roughly ** percent of world stocks. The next largest country by stock market share was China, followed by the European Union as a whole. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ are the largest stock exchange operators worldwide. What is a stock exchange? The first modern publicly traded company was the Dutch East Industry Company, which sold shares to the general public to fund expeditions to Asia. Since then, groups of companies have formed exchanges in which brokers and dealers can come together and make transactions in one space. Stock market indices group companies trading on a given exchange, giving an idea of how they evolve in real time. Appeal of stock ownership Over half of adults in the United States are investing money in the stock market. Stocks are an attractive investment because the possible return is higher than offered by other financial instruments.

Russia's main stock market index, the MOEX, fell to 2729 points on August 1, 2025, losing 0.12% from the previous session. Over the past month, the index has declined 3.07% and is down 5.87% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks this benchmark index from Russia. Russia Stock Market Index MOEX CFD - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on August of 2025.