Keep Factually independent
Whether you agree or disagree with our analysis, these conversations matter for democracy. We don't take money from political groups - even a $5 donation helps us keep it that way.
Can you provide a list of monopoly companies around the world
Executive summary
Lists of “monopoly companies” vary by definition and era: historical legal monopolies include Standard Oil and American Tobacco (broken up in the early 20th century) while modern lists point to firms with extreme market shares or de facto dominance such as Google/Alphabet in search and ASML in EUV lithography (examples and figures appear across the provided sources) [1] [2]. Available sources show many modern examples are better described as “near‑monopolies” or dominant firms in narrow niches rather than single‑seller markets; courts and regulators still break up or constrain firms when they find illegal monopolization [3] [4].
1. What counts as a “monopoly”? — Legal vs. popular definitions
Economists and courts treat “monopoly” narrowly: the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and courts find a monopoly when a firm unreasonably restrains competition and gained power through improper conduct; mere market leadership or a “better product” is not automatic proof of illegal monopoly [4]. Popular lists and investor articles, by contrast, often label firms as monopolies when they dominate market share or earnings in a niche [3] [2].
2. Historical, legally prosecuted monopolies that appear on many lists
Classic U.S. examples frequently cited are Standard Oil and the American Tobacco Company, both famously broken up under antitrust law after they came to control very large shares of their industries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries [1] [4]. These are the canonical examples where courts ordered structural remedies.
3. Modern firms often called monopolies or “near‑monopolies”
Contemporary commentary and investor pieces identify tech giants and specialized manufacturers as occupying monopoly‑like positions: Google/Alphabet is repeatedly cited for its overwhelming share of search; Amazon, Facebook/Meta, Microsoft and Apple appear on many surveys of dominant firms; ASML is noted as holding roughly 90% of the market for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tools [2] [5] [6]. Such descriptions tend to reflect concentrated market power in discrete markets rather than a single firm owning an entire economy.
4. Sectoral concentration and “de facto” monopolies outside tech
Reporting highlights sectors where mergers and consolidation left very few firms controlling large shares: global seeds and pesticides, food processing (meatpacking), mattresses, and bottle manufacturers are cited as examples where a handful — or in some regions a single firm — dominates supply [7] [4]. De Beers historically controlled the diamond trade (up to ~85% at its peak) and remains a frequent example of long‑running market control in a commodity [8].
5. Why lists differ: methodology and agenda matter
Different lists use different thresholds (market share percentage, legal status, vertical integration, or investor leverage). Advocacy groups like the Open Markets Institute emphasize political and economic risks of consolidation and highlight cases where regional monopolies persist; investor outlets and “top monopoly stocks” pieces frame dominance as investment strength [7] [2]. That produces competing narratives: public‑interest warnings vs. market‑value praise [7] [2].
6. Examples commonly cited across sources (illustrative, not exhaustive)
Across the supplied reporting you will repeatedly find: Standard Oil and American Tobacco (historical legal monopolies) [1]; De Beers (historical/ongoing market concentration in diamonds) [8]; Google/Alphabet, Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Microsoft (modern tech firms described as dominant or near‑monopolies) [5] [6]; ASML (dominant supplier of EUV lithography tools, ~90% market share cited) [2]; large consolidators in food, seeds/pesticides and glass/bottling [7] [4].
7. Legal and market checks: courts, regulators, and business change
The law still constrains monopolization: the Sherman Antitrust Act led to major breakups a century ago, and modern enforcement continues to define boundaries — for example, courts have recently scrutinized Google’s search practices [4] [3]. But market dynamics, trade, and innovation also erode dominance over time, and many so‑called monopolies are better described as persistent but contestable market leaders [3].
8. How to read “lists of monopolies” responsibly
When you see a company labeled a monopoly, check (a) which market is being measured, (b) the metric (market share, revenue, control over a supply chain), (c) whether a court or regulator has found illegal conduct, and (d) the source’s agenda — investor outlets celebrate durable moats; advocacy groups emphasize harms of consolidation [2] [7]. Available sources do not provide a single authoritative global roster of current, legally defined monopolies.
If you want, I can produce a sourced, annotated list of firms mentioned in these articles, with the exact citation line for each firm and the market or metric the source uses.