Certain global corporations have become so integral to the world’s economic and social infrastructure that their failure would have catastrophic consequences. These companies provide essential services, create millions of jobs, and maintain critical supply chains that the global economy relies upon. Their influence extends beyond national borders, and their stability is paramount to preserving economic equilibrium.

The concept of “too big to fail” has been widely debated, especially following the 2008 financial crisis. Governments and financial institutions often go to great lengths to support these corporations during times of trouble, recognizing that their collapse could trigger widespread economic turmoil. From financial giants that underpin the global banking system to technology firms that drive innovation and connectivity, these corporations hold a unique and powerful position in the world economy.

This list explores ten global corporations that are considered too vital to fail. We will delve into their significance, the services they provide, and the reasons why their stability is crucial to the global economy. These corporations are not just industry leaders; they are the backbone of modern civilization, and their continued success is essential for maintaining global stability.

Related: 10 Shadowy Facts About the Secret Company That Runs the World

10 JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase is a titan in the financial world, with a diversified business model that spans investment banking, asset management, and consumer and commercial banking. As one of the largest banks in the United States, it holds a significant influence over global financial markets. JPMorgan Chase generates substantial revenue through its four main segments: Consumer & Community Banking, Corporate & Investment Bank, Commercial Banking, and Asset & Wealth Management. This diversified approach allows the bank to mitigate risks and maintain stability even during economic downturns.

The failure of JPMorgan Chase would send shockwaves throughout the global economy, disrupting financial markets, credit availability, and economic confidence. Its collapse could lead to a domino effect, triggering a financial crisis of unprecedented scale. Governments and central banks recognize the importance of maintaining JPMorgan Chase’s stability, ensuring it remains a trusted institution in global finance. The bank’s continued success is crucial for the health and stability of the global economy.^[1]

9 Amazon

Amazon has become the world’s largest online retailer and a cornerstone of e-commerce, generating substantial revenue from its diverse business operations. Founded in 1994 as an online bookstore, Amazon has since expanded to offer a vast array of products, including electronics, apparel, and groceries. The company’s Prime membership program, which boasts millions of subscribers, plays a significant role in driving sales through benefits like fast shipping and exclusive access to streaming services.

Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company’s cloud computing arm, is another major revenue generator, providing essential services to businesses worldwide. AWS’s dominance in the cloud market underscores Amazon’s critical role in the tech industry. The failure of Amazon would disrupt global supply chains, impact millions of jobs, and hinder countless businesses reliant on AWS. Amazon’s integral role in the global economy ensures that it remains too big to fail, with its continued success vital for maintaining economic stability.^[2]

8 Google

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., has become a cornerstone of the digital age, profoundly shaping the future of the internet. Since its founding in 1998, Google has evolved from a search engine into a tech behemoth with many products and services. Google’s search engine processes billions of searches daily, solidifying its position as the most widely used search tool globally. Additionally, Google Ads, the company’s advertising platform, generates substantial revenue, enabling businesses of all sizes to reach their target audiences effectively.

Beyond its search and advertising dominance, Google has made significant strides in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Google Cloud provides essential services to enterprises, competing with major players like AWS and Microsoft Azure. The company’s investments in AI technology, such as Google Assistant and advanced machine learning algorithms, are paving the way for future innovations in various industries.

The collapse of Google would have far-reaching implications for the digital ecosystem. It would disrupt the operations of countless businesses that rely on its advertising and cloud services and impact the daily lives of billions of users dependent on its search engine and AI technologies. Google’s pivotal role in the global economy and digital infrastructure ensures it remains too vital to fail.^[3]

7 Microsoft

Microsoft has been a transformative force in the technology industry since its inception in 1975. Known for its groundbreaking software, including the Windows operating system and Office productivity suite, Microsoft has become integral to both personal and business computing worldwide. Recently, Microsoft has positioned itself at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, leveraging its extensive resources to drive innovation in these critical areas.

At the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, Microsoft showcased its advancements in AI, highlighting how these technologies are being integrated into various products and services. Microsoft Azure, the company’s cloud computing platform, plays a crucial role in providing scalable and secure cloud solutions to businesses and governments globally. The company’s leadership in AI and cloud computing is not only transforming industries but also setting new standards for technology-driven progress.

The failure of Microsoft would have far-reaching consequences, disrupting global operations that depend on its software, AI, and cloud services. As a leader in technological innovation, Microsoft’s stability is essential for maintaining the momentum of global economic and technological advancements.^[4]

6 Apple

Apple is renowned for its innovative products and strategic global presence. Founded in 1976, Apple has transformed the tech industry with iconic devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. These products have set high standards for design and functionality, creating a massive global following. Apple’s meticulous attention to detail and commitment to quality have earned it a loyal customer base, making it a dominant force in consumer electronics.

Apple’s global strategy extends beyond its products to its retail and online presence. With stores in major cities worldwide and a robust online ecosystem, Apple ensures seamless customer experiences across different markets. The company’s services, including the App Store, Apple Music, and iCloud, contribute significantly to its revenue, enhancing its influence in the digital economy.

The failure of Apple would disrupt numerous industries and impact millions of users globally. Apple’s role as a leader in innovation and its strategic global approach make it indispensable to the global economy.^[5]

5 ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil is not only a giant in the oil and gas industry but also a leader in utilizing data to drive its business. Founded in 1999 through the merger of Exxon and Mobil, the company has embraced data analytics to enhance its operations across exploration, production, and refining. By leveraging advanced data technologies, ExxonMobil optimizes its supply chain, improves safety measures, and increases operational efficiency, making it a key player in the energy sector.

Data-driven strategies have enabled ExxonMobil to make more informed decisions, predict market trends, and respond swiftly to changing conditions. This approach has positioned the company at the forefront of innovation within the energy industry, demonstrating that data is as critical as the physical resources it manages. ExxonMobil’s commitment to data analytics also supports its efforts in sustainability, helping to reduce environmental impacts and improve energy efficiency.

The failure of ExxonMobil would have far-reaching implications, disrupting global energy supplies and impacting numerous industries that depend on oil and gas. Its pioneering use of data ensures that it remains essential for maintaining energy security and driving future advancements in the sector.^[6]

4 General Electric

General Electric (GE) has been a pivotal force in the industrial sector since its founding in 1892. Renowned for its wide-ranging contributions to aviation, healthcare, energy, and manufacturing, GE has played a significant role in shaping modern industry. The company’s extensive portfolio includes innovations such as jet engines and medical imaging equipment, positioning it as a vital player in both industrial and consumer markets.

Despite facing financial challenges and restructuring efforts, GE’s resilience and adaptability have kept it relevant. The company’s commitment to research and development has driven advancements across multiple sectors, maintaining its reputation for innovation. With operations in over 130 countries, GE’s global presence underscores its importance in supporting infrastructure and economic growth worldwide.

The failure of General Electric would have profound effects, disrupting industries dependent on its technologies and products. GE’s leadership in industrial innovation and its critical role in global infrastructure make it an indispensable entity in the global economy.^[7]

3 Toyota

Toyota has been a transformative force in the automotive industry since its founding in 1937. Known for its innovation and reliability, Toyota has set high standards in vehicle production and design. The company’s pioneering Toyota Production System revolutionized manufacturing efficiency and quality control, influencing countless other industries. Toyota’s commitment to sustainability is evident in its development of hybrid technology, with the Prius becoming a global symbol of eco-friendly driving.

Toyota’s influence extends far beyond Japan, with manufacturing plants in over 27 countries and sales in more than 170 markets. This extensive global footprint not only supports millions of jobs but also drives economic growth in many regions. The collapse of Toyota would have far-reaching consequences, disrupting global supply chains and impacting employment across multiple sectors. Toyota’s legacy of innovation and its critical role in the global automotive industry underscore its indispensability to the world economy.^[8]

2 Walmart

Walmart has been a leading force in the retail industry since its founding in 1962. As the world’s largest retailer, Walmart operates over 10,500 stores across 24 countries, serving millions of customers weekly. The company’s success is largely attributed to its ability to offer a vast selection of products at low prices, made possible by its efficient supply chain management and massive buying power. Walmart’s commitment to affordability and accessibility has made it a household name and a staple in communities worldwide.

Beyond its retail operations, Walmart plays a crucial role in the global economy, employing over 2.3 million people, making it one of the largest private employers globally. The company’s presence stimulates economic growth in local communities and supports a wide range of ancillary businesses. The failure of Walmart would have far-reaching consequences, disrupting supply chains and impacting millions of jobs. Walmart’s dominance in retail and its significant economic contributions underscore its critical importance to the global economy.^[9]

1 Siemens

Siemens, celebrating its 175th anniversary, has established itself as a global leader in electronics and electrical engineering. Since its founding in 1847, Siemens has consistently driven innovation across a multitude of industries, including energy, healthcare, and infrastructure. The company’s commitment to technological advancements has resulted in groundbreaking products and solutions, from efficient power generation systems to state-of-the-art medical imaging equipment.

The impact of Siemens on global infrastructure is profound. The company plays a crucial role in developing smart grids, sustainable energy solutions, and advanced automation technologies. Siemens’ contributions to healthcare are also significant, with innovations in diagnostic imaging and laboratory diagnostics enhancing patient care worldwide. This broad range of influence underscores Siemens’ pivotal role in shaping modern industry and technology.

The potential failure of Siemens would have far-reaching consequences, affecting numerous sectors reliant on its technologies and services. Its integral role in providing essential infrastructure and technological solutions highlights its indispensability to the global economy. Siemens’ legacy of innovation and its continued success are vital for sustaining industrial progress and economic stability worldwide.^[10]

Food is one of those things that transcends cultural boundaries. Everybody eats, and one of the greatest gestures of goodwill toward another person is sharing your food with them. But as much as we all love trying new dishes, most people would balk at the idea of slurping down an emulsified animal or a tortilla that’s literally crawling.

If you’re eating anything right now, you might want to stop.

10 Ptarmigan Droppings

Ptarmigans are large birds that live in the Arctic and look sort of like a more graceful version of a chicken. They’re a valuable source of food to the Inuit in Northern Canada because, unlike the Arctic’s migratory animals, they stick around through the harsh winters. In a region where hunters can go months without bringing in a large game haul, a readily available food source is worth its weight in gold.

Because of that, the Inuit have found ways to use every single part of the ptarmigan—even its feces. But ptarmigan droppings aren’t a trail nibble that you can pick up for a quick snack on your way to the closest seal nursery. There’s a very delicate procedure for making the dish taste right. Before anything else, the droppings are collected in winter and brought inside to thaw and dry out. (The fresh stuff doesn’t have the right flavor.)

Next, you need to kill a seal.

Cut the raw seal into chunks, chew on the chunks, and spit the chewed pieces into a bowl. If you feel like spitting some extra saliva into the bowl, it’s all the better. At this point, you can combine the dried ptarmigan droppings with the masticated seal meat, stir well, and drop in some rancid seal oil for extra flavor. According to people who have tried it, it doesn’t taste that bad.

9 Jumiles

Every November, families all over Taxco, Mexico, gather for one of the most important culinary celebrations of the year. During the festivities, the city comes to life. The tantalizing aromas of hot corn tortillas, fresh-ground chilies, and ripe tomatoes waft from building to building, and the markets pulse with vendors hawking their dishes to the visitors crowding their city streets. And if you stop at one of the many food stalls for a quick bite to eat, you won’t get away without a heaping handful of the main ingredient—live stink bugs.

Known as jumiles, these green, crunchy insects are a culinary treat in Southwestern Mexico. They appear en masse in November and stick around until the end of February, during which time the locals will harvest them by the basketful. Live jumiles are usually added to tacos, but they can also be ground into salsa, fried in their own oily secretions, grilled, roasted, toasted, or boiled. If you don’t want to wait, nobody will look twice if you simply pop a live jumile into your mouth. The taste is often described as “cinnamon-like.”

8 Shiokara

To unindocrinated Westerners, the pinnacle of Japanese cuisine is sushi. If you’re feeling really adventurous, you might try slapping your chopsticks down on some odori don, but that’s usually as far as it goes.

It’s a shame, because Japanese food gets much more diverse than that. Take shiokara, for example. Shiokara is seafood served in its own fermented entrails. The result is a sort of lumpy, chewy, pungent slurry in various hues of beige, depending on what animal was used to make the dish. The most common version is ika-no shiokara, which is made from squid, although there are dozens of different varieties. It’s usually served with booze, and the conventional wisdom is to take a large bite of shiokara followed immediately by an even larger gulp of sake or whiskey.

7 Cobra Hearts

On Mangga Basar Street in Jakarta, the cobra stalls open near sunset and stay busy into the wee hours of the morning. Here, customers can partake in one of Indonesia’s most unique and grotesque medicinal practices—a shot of fresh cobra blood mixed with palm liquor.

The setup is simple. Next to each stall is a cage writhing with angry black cobras. When a customer is ready, the vendor whips out his trusty butcher’s knife and lops off the head of the calmest cobra he can grab. Then, in front of the customer, the vendor holds the snake’s body upside down and squeezes every last ounce of bright red blood into a glass, all the while chatting about the myriad health benefits of the sanguine slurry. These include increased sexual stamina for men and firm breasts and clear skin for women, to name a few. These guys make up to $100 a night. After the snake has been completely drained, it’s filleted, and the meat hits the grill, shish-kebab style.

In Vietnam, cobra blood nightcaps get even more hardcore. The setup is mostly the same, but instead of lopping off the cobra’s head, they tear out the cobra’s still-beating heart and chuck it into a glass filled with the snake’s blood and a few shots of rice wine.

6 Bodog

Even in the 21st century, Mongolia maintains a strong nomadic culture that still practices the customs of their ancestors, many of which began in the era of the great Mongolian Khans. Faced with the ever-changing world outside of their isolated steppe between China and Russia, nomadic Mongolians have found ways to integrate patchwork technologies with their traditional way of life. It’s almost like stepping into the 13th century only to find that a time traveler has beat you to it: You travel on horseback to a small village, where children play barefoot and water is still pumped by hand. However, beside each round, tent-like ger is a gleaming solar panel, so goat herders can move around and still have electricity.

While much of Mongolian life has caught up with the times, some traditions are entirely unchanged from the way they were centuries ago. Bodog is one of these bastions of the past. Also called Mongolian barbecue, bodog is a dish made by cooking goat meat inside the goat’s own hide. It’s an intricate process that takes hours of preparation and still more hours of slow cooking. After a goat is killed and beheaded, it’s hung by the top of its severed spine while the chef painstakingly removes every bone, organ, and scrap of meat from the inside of the hide, taking care not to pierce the goat’s skin. The viscera is dropped in steaming hunks for the dogs to pick off the snow-dusted ground, while the meat and bones are laid aside and seasoned.

Eventually, the goat becomes an empty sack, which means that it’s time to start cooking. Hot stones from a fire are stuffed into the dangling limb cavities, followed by a layer of meat, and then more hot stones, layer by layer until the goat is full. Then, it’s tied shut at the neck and left to cook from the inside out. Periodically, the whole package is seared on the outside until the fur has burned off, and the former goat has become a white balloon inflated with the steam from the cooking meat’s juices. It is now a bodog.

5 Frog Juice

Peru is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world. From the lush Amazonian lowlands to the windswept peaks of the towering Andes and down again to pearl-white beaches brushed like a painting along the rim of the Pacific, it’s a country that offers anything and everything, a visual casserole of nature’s most savage beauty. It’s the home of ancient Machu Picchu, the ice pyramid Alpamayo, and the mysterious Nazca lines of the Sechura Desert. It is, in most respects, a very cool place to visit.

But what isn’t cool is a tradition that you’ll find happening every day at open-air markets in Lima, the capital city. Here, vendors prepare a special concoction that has its roots in centuries of Peruvian folklore and mysticism—jugo de rana, or “frog juice.” Simply put, it’s a frog thrown into a blender with a dash of spices and herbs and a squirt of honey. It’s supposed to be good for everything from anemia to erectile dysfunction. When it’s made with an endangered species of frog called the scrotum water frog, it’s called “Peruvian Viagra.” However, any frog can feature as the main ingredient, and they’re used indiscriminately regardless of conservation status.

According to the BBC, vendors can sell over 100 of these smoothies each day, each one with a freshly blended frog as the creamy centerfold. The fact that the drink’s sale continues so openly is a prime example of the clash between tradition and modern conservation laws that’s become an issue in Peru of late. If 10 jugo de rana stalls are closed down one week, 10 more open up the next week. It’s an effort akin to staying dry in a hurricane by swatting raindrops, but if the practice isn’t curbed, enitre species of Amazonian frogs could go down the hatch in the time it takes to chug a mug of slimy, green, frog-flavored Viagra.

4 Wasp Crackers

At the beginning of 2015, a few photos started to make the rounds on the Internet. They showed a cracker with dead wasps baked right into it, sort of like chocolate chips. Far from being a hoax, these wasp crackers are real and apparently pretty popular around Omachi, Japan.

More of a fad than any kind of delicacy, the crackers are made from digger wasps that are harvested from the wild. The wasps are thrown into a pot of boiling water, dried, and then added to the traditional mix used to make rice crackers, or senbei. Supposedly, the idea was started by a group in Omachi who hooked up with a local bakery to create the crunchy treats. According to RocketNews24, a Japanese news blog, the wasps taste like bitter raisins, and the only real downside is that every now and then you might get a leg stuck between your teeth.

3 Dragon In The Flame Of Desire

China’s cuisine doesn’t beat around the bush. The food is vibrant, in your face, and full of life, a culinary kaleidoscope cultivated from centuries of historic tradition. According to the old Chinese saying, they’ll eat anything with four legs except a table, and our money’s on the six- and eight-legged critters, too. However, even in China, some dishes are considered a rarity. The Guolizhuang Restaurant has had a particularly hard time getting its dishes into the mouths and hearts of Beijing’s citizens for very good reason: They’re all made out of penis.

When you order a dish such as “The Essence of the Golden Buddha,” “Lotus Flowers with 1,000 Layers,” or “Dragon in the Flame of Desire,” what you get is an ox penis, a donkey penis, or a yak penis, respectively. Every dish on the menu is some sort of penis, except for the testicle entrees. The menu also offers a single dish made from tiger penis, although it comes with a hefty price tag of $5,700 and has to be ordered months in advance so that the relevant parts can be procured. If you aren’t sure which particular penis you’d prefer, you can order the “hotpot” which, with six types of penis and four testicles, is like the Applebee’s sampler plate of genitalia.

2 Snake Wine

If you travel anywhere in Southeast Asia, there’s a good chance that you’ll stumble across a bottle of snake wine at some point. Found everywhere from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong, snake wine comes from a long tradition of holistic medicine. It’s said that the snake infuses the liquor with healing properties which can treat anything from skin conditions to arthritis. The medicinal effect is believed to come from the snake’s venom seeping into the wine.

Whether or not that’s true, there’s definitely something morbid about the sight of a curled-up snake floating in a jar of amber booze. According to Vice, the production of snake wine is even more unsettling. A live snake is coaxed into a bottle, and the alcohol—usually rice wine—is poured on top of it, drowning the snake alive. A shot of the stuff certainly packs a bite, but it’s not always from the alcohol. There have been several stories of people making snake wine at home, only to find the snake still alive after months of storage. In 2013, a woman in China supposedly went to the hospital when the viper in her wine leaped out and bit her.

1 Virgin Boy Eggs

For centuries, spring has hailed the arrival of one of the most revered traditions in Dongyang, China. As the weather warms, and the first signs of greenery begin to grace to hillsides, egg vendors make their yearly pilgrimage to the region’s elementary schools. There, they’ll find rows of buckets laid out for them, all ready to pile into their trucks for transport back to their market stalls.

Over the next few days, a new scent will fill the air. It’s the “smell of spring,” according to some Dongyang residents. And if you wander down the city’s streets, you’ll probably see large pots filled with eggs simmering in a clear, yellowish liquid.

It’s the urine of young boys.

Virgin boy eggs have been a part of Dongyang’s culinary heritage for hundreds of years. Nobody can remember how the practice came about, or why the urine has to come from boys, but that’s the way their parents did it, so that’s the way they do it. Once the urine is collected from schools (the boys are encouraged to urinate in the buckets instead of in toilets), eggs are dropped into the pots and boiled. Then, the eggs’ shells are cracked, and the eggs are dropped back in to soak for a few more hours. It takes a day to make a batch of virgin boy eggs, and they sell for twice the price of a regular boiled egg.