The world’s largest internet companies are worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, and Amazon exceed the billion dollar status of ‘unicorns’ and fall into a very limited cohort of trillion dollar companies worth $1.656 trillion and $1.373 trillion respectively.
The top 10 largest internet companies in the world are:
- Alphabet, $1.656 trillion
- Amazon, $1.373 trillion
- Meta Platforms, $747 billion
- Tencent, $399 billion
- Alibaba, $235 billion
- Netflix, $185 billion
- ServiceNow, $116 billion
- Booking.com, $113 billion
- Meituan, $110 billion
- Pinduoduo, $107 billion
Companies founded in the United States and China dominate the top 10, with a 60%-40% US-China split. However when it comes to market capitalization the US is far ahead. Alphabet, Amazon and Meta Platforms are all US-based companies forming the top 3 most valuable internet companies in the world, totalling $3.776 trillion. All China-based companies in the top 10 amount to a value of $851 billion, only 22.54% of the top 3.
These US companies all have humble beginnings. Alphabet emanated from a Stanford University research project that analysed and improved on web search engine results. Amazon started as an online bookstore. And Meta Platforms began as a student directory for Harvard University students.
Perhaps among the most valuable US companies ServiceNow is the least well known. The company describes itself as bringing organisations of every size smarter, faster and better ways to work. Among China-based companies in the top 10, Alibaba, an online wholesale marketplace, is perhaps the most well known. Meituan is known for its on-demand food delivery service and Pinduoduo is a Chinese e-commerce platform.
