Amazon overtakes Walmart as the top U.S. company by revenue, driven by rapid growth in e-commerce, cloud computing, and Prime subscriptions, ending Walmart’s 13-year run.
Amazon overtakes Walmart as the No. 1 company on the Fortune 500, ending Walmart’s 13-year streak at the top. This historic shift highlights how a nimble, tech-driven strategy can unseat even the largest incumbents.
Amazon has won its mammoth market share by prioritizing constant reinvention and expanding into cloud computing, streaming, and AI. For Walmart, the challenge is clear: adapt quickly or risk losing further ground to an increasingly dominant rival.
Amazon Overtakes Walmart on Fortune 500 List
Amazon overtakes Walmart to claim the No. 1 spot on the Fortune 500, ending Walmart’s 13-year run at the top. This historic achievement underscores how Amazon’s relentless innovation and diversification have propelled it past its long-time rival in the e-commerce landscape.
The record-breaking revenue shift highlights Amazon revenue growth across multiple sectors, including cloud computing, streaming services, and retail. An Amazon agency approach to constant reinvention has allowed the company to maintain a “day one” culture, keeping it ahead of Walmart and other competitors.
Key metrics behind the Fortune 500 shift:
- Amazon full-year revenue: $716.9 billion in 2025, surpassing Walmart’s $713.2 billion.
- Cumulative growth (2018–2025): Amazon’s growth rate is nearly three times that of Walmart.
- AWS contribution: Generates over half of Amazon’s operating profit on revenue of $128.7 billion.
- Prime membership penetration: 80% of U.S. households, strengthening customer retention.
- E-commerce market dominance: Amazon now controls roughly 40% of U.S. digital retail sales.
Phil Wahba reports that the Fortune 500 milestone also reflects a broader shift in the Walmart vs Amazon rivalry. While Walmart has made significant strides in e-commerce and AI-driven shopping, Amazon’s focus on innovation across technology, logistics, and digital services has solidified its position among the top e-commerce market leaders.
Amazon Claims Top Revenue Spot Over Walmart After 13 Years
Amazon overtakes Walmart to lead in U.S. sales, signaling a historic shift in how retailers structure their businesses and attract customers. This change emphasizes the growing importance of digital services, cloud solutions, and subscription models as channels for sellers to reach consumers.
Sellers can explore Amazon vs Walmart selling opportunities by understanding each platform’s strengths. Amazon provides robust tools for advertising, Prime-based loyalty programs, and third-party marketplaces, while Walmart offers access to a large, affluent customer base through its physical and digital channels.
The strategic focus of each company creates distinct pathways for sellers looking to expand. Amazon’s technology-driven ecosystem allows for scalable e-commerce operations, whereas Walmart’s hybrid approach supports omnichannel fulfillment and in-store visibility, offering complementary advantages for certain product categories.
For businesses considering platform diversification, evaluating operational requirements and customer reach is essential. Sellers who adapt to the unique advantages of each network can capitalize on shifting consumer behaviors and participate in the broader competition between e-commerce market leaders.
| Company | Total 2025 Sales | Major Revenue Drivers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Amazon |
$717B |
Retail, AWS, Advertising, Prime |
Diversified revenue streams across tech and retail |
|
Walmart |
$713B
|
Physical stores, Website |
U.S. sales growing, stock value surpasses $1T |
Amazon overtakes Walmart to lead the world in sales By Nathaniel Meyersohn“Although the two companies are significant competitors in consumer retail, Amazon’s revenue growth in cloud computing, advertising, and other businesses helped it overtake Walmart.”
Amazon vs Walmart: Selling Opportunities in a Changing Retail Landscape
According to Nick Ranga, with Amazon overtaking Walmart as the largest U.S. company, sellers now have a growing ecosystem to reach consumers through multiple channels. The company’s marketplace model and advertising platforms offer opportunities for third-party sellers to increase visibility and tap into e-commerce market leaders’ vast customer base.
Amazon’s retail and third-party services generated $464 billion, demonstrating the breadth of avenues for sellers to scale without holding inventory. Subscription services like Prime and advertising add over $100 billion in revenue, highlighting additional channels for merchants to boost sales and build recurring customer engagement.
Walmart’s e-commerce surge of 27% and strong omnichannel presence offer sellers access to both online shoppers and physical store networks. Higher-income households increasingly shopping at Walmart provide a unique opportunity for sellers to target demographic segments that were traditionally less accessible on value-focused platforms.
The competition between Amazon and Walmart creates distinct advantages for businesses exploring Walmart vs Amazon selling opportunities. Sellers can leverage Amazon’s digital ecosystem for tech-driven growth while utilizing Walmart’s store network for omnichannel exposure, giving merchants multiple pathways to expand market reach.
