Large cap
A share in a large listed company with a high market value.
In short
As of 8 October 2026A large cap is a share in a large listed company. Roughly, firms worth more than about 10 billion US dollars count, though there is no official limit. Indices such as the DAX and S&P 500 consist almost entirely of large caps. Their shares trade heavily and usually fluctuate less than those of smaller companies.
Large caps are the heavyweights of the stock market. Roughly, companies with a market capitalization above about 10 billion US dollars count as large caps. The very biggest, worth hundreds of billions or more, are sometimes called mega caps.
The DAX and the S&P 500 consist almost entirely of large caps. Their shares trade heavily, so spreads are tight and prices are usually calmer than for small firms. Size does not protect against losses, though.
Example: SAP and Siemens are typical large caps. In an ETF on an index weighted by market value, they carry far more weight than smaller companies.
As of 8 October 2026 · Educational content, not investment or tax advice.