Key Points
- The 2025 Fortune Global 500 companies generated a total revenue of $41.7 trillion USD and a total net profit of $2.98 trillion USD, with their collective revenue making up over one-third of the entire global GDP.
- Walmart (Wò’ěrmǎ 沃尔玛) secured the top spot for revenue for the 12th consecutive year with $681 billion USD, followed by Amazon (Yàmǎxùn 亚马逊) and State Grid Corporation of China (Guójiā Diànwǎng Gōngsī 国家电网公司).
- China’s internet giants showed significant growth, with PDD Holdings (Pīnduōduō 拼多多) making the most impressive jump of 176 places to rank #266.
- NVIDIA (Yīngwéidá 英伟达) entered the top 10 most profitable companies for the first time, reporting ~$72.9 billion USD in profit and an astounding 55%+ net profit margin, making it the most profitable company by margin on the list.
- The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Zhōngguó Gōngshāng Yínháng 中国工商银行) was China’s most profitable entity, ranking tenth globally with over $50.8 billion USD in earnings.
The Fortune Global 500 2025 list just dropped, and it’s giving us a crystal-clear snapshot of who’s winning in the global economy.
Spoiler: The big dogs are still on top, but the real story is the meteoric rise of China’s tech scene and the insane profitability of AI.
Let’s break down the key takeaways for investors, founders, and tech enthusiasts.
The Global 500 by the Numbers: We’re Talking Trillions
The 500 companies on this year’s list are, to put it mildly, massive. Here’s a high-level look at their collective power:
- Total Revenue: A mind-bending $41.7 trillion USD, which is a 1.8% bump from last year.
- Total Net Profit: Reached $2.98 trillion USD, a modest 0.4% increase.
- Context Check: The revenue from these 500 companies alone makes up over one-third of the entire global GDP.
- Big Milestone: Both total assets and net assets for the Global 500 hit an all-time high since the ranking began.
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Meet the Revenue Champs: Who’s at the Top of the Fortune 500?
No major surprises at the very top, as legacy giants continue to dominate the revenue game.
1. Walmart (Wò’ěrmǎ 沃尔玛): Still the undisputed champ for the 12th year in a row.
- Revenue: A staggering $681 billion USD.
- The Secret Sauce: Their Sam’s Club and e-commerce arms are on fire, acting as the key engines for growth.
2. Amazon (Yàmǎxùn 亚马逊): The only other member of the $600B+ club, pulling in $638 billion USD in revenue.
3. State Grid Corporation of China (Guójiā Diànwǎng Gōngsī 国家电网公司): Holding strong at number three with $548.4 billion USD.
The rest of the top six, including Saudi Aramco, PetroChina (Zhōngguó Shíyóu 中国石油), and Sinopec Group (Zhōngguó Shíhuà 中国石化), all cleared the $400 billion USD revenue mark, showing the continued dominance of energy and retail at the top.
China’s Internet Giants Are on a Serious Growth Spurt
This is where the list gets really interesting.
Despite a super competitive market, China’s five biggest internet players all leaped up the ranks, showing incredible momentum.
- PDD Holdings (Pīnduōduō 拼多多): The breakout star. It shot up a mind-blowing 176 places to rank #266. This is easily the most impressive jump for a Chinese company on the list.
- Meituan (Měituán 美团): A solid 57-spot climb to #327.
- Tencent (Téngxùn 腾讯): A massive 25-place leap to #116.
- Alibaba (Ālǐbābā 阿里巴巴): Jumped 7 spots to land at #63.
- JD.com (Jīngdōng 京东): Climbed 3 spots to #44. It remains the top-ranked private mainland Chinese company.
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Follow the Money: A Look at the Most Profitable Companies
Revenue is one thing, but profit is what truly matters. Here’s who is converting revenue into pure cash most effectively.
- Saudi Aramco: The king of profits with ~$105 billion USD, even after a ~13% dip from the previous year.
- Alphabet (Google): Snatched the crown from Apple as the world’s most profitable tech company, bagging a stunning $100.1 billion USD.
- Apple (Píngguǒ 苹果): Still a profit-printing machine, landing in third with $93.7 billion USD in net profit.
- Berkshire Hathaway: Warren Buffett’s empire secured fourth with over $88.9 billion USD in earnings, despite a 7.5% profit decline.
- Microsoft (Wēiruǎn 微软): Right behind with a cool $88.1 billion USD in net profit.
The NVIDIA Anomaly: Insane Profit Margins
AI chip giant NVIDIA (Yīngwéidá 英伟达) crashed into the top 10 most profitable list for the first time, landing at #6.
Their profit? A wild ~$72.9 billion USD, marking a ~145% year-over-year surge.
But here’s the real kicker:
On $130.5 billion in revenue, NVIDIA achieved a net profit margin of over 55%.
This makes them the most profitable company on the entire Global 500 list by margin.
That’s just bonkers.
- Global Profit Rank: #6
- Total Profit: ~$72.9 Billion USD
- Year-over-Year Profit Growth: ~145%
- Net Profit Margin: Over 55% (Highest on Global 500)
- Revenue: $130.5 Billion USD
China’s Top Profitable Player
On the Chinese side, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Zhōngguó Gōngshāng Yínháng 中国工商银行) was the most profitable entity.
It ranked tenth globally with over $50.8 billion USD in earnings last year.
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Final Thoughts: Key Trends from the 2025 Global 500
While legacy giants like Walmart hold their ground with massive revenue streams, the real action is in the rapid, aggressive growth of tech.
This is driven by China’s internet behemoths and AI powerhouses like NVIDIA, which are redefining profitability.
The data from the Fortune Global 500 2025 clearly shows a dynamic shift in corporate power, blending old-guard stability with new-guard tech disruption.
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