Staff Reporter
The world’s most valuable companies play a crucial role in the global economy, influencing everything from technology to consumer behavior.
As of May 2025, American giants like Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia boast valuations in the trillions, underscoring the United States’ enduring leadership in innovation and finance.
In this graphic, Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu ranks the 50 most valuable companies worldwide, color-coded by their country of origin. The data used for this graphic comes from companiesmarketcap.com, dated May 5, 2025.
Microsoft and Apple, the two largest companies featured, have frequently exchanged positions as the world’s most valuable firms over the past decade.
Both companies are heavily integrating artificial intelligence into their products, contributing to their significant market cap growth in recent years.
Now, let’s take a closer look at some of the notable non-U.S. companies highlighted in this graphic.
International Holding Company (IHC)
Based in Abu Dhabi, International Holding Company (IHC) has quickly risen to become one of the Middle East’s most valuable firms, with a market capitalization of $240 billion. Originally a fishing company, IHC has evolved into a diversified conglomerate with investments in healthcare, agriculture, real estate, and artificial intelligence, including a $50 million stake in Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
TSMC
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) boasts a market cap of nearly $1 trillion, making it the most valuable company in Asia. As the largest dedicated semiconductor foundry in the world, TSMC manufactures chips for major players like Apple, Nvidia, and AMD. For a detailed look, check out this graphic from January 2025, which breaks down the global semiconductor industry’s market capitalization.
Tencent
With a market cap approaching $600 billion, Tencent remains one of China’s leading tech giants despite facing regulatory challenges. Known primarily for its WeChat platform, Tencent also operates in gaming, cloud services, fintech, and original content production. Through its Tencent Video platform, boasting over 120 million paid subscribers, the company produces a wide range of dramas, shows, and animations.
