Published 1 hour ago on July 4, 2025 By Alan Kennedy Article & Editing Julia Wendling Graphics & Design Lebon Siu Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Global X ETFs Global Defence Spending in 2024 Global defence spending has consistently increased over the last decade, driven by numerous ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine, and other parts of the world. In this graphic, the first in a three-part Defence Innovation series, Visual Capitalist has partnered with Global X ETFs to explore the global landscape of defence spending. World Defence Expenditures in 2024 Global spending on defence rose for the ninth consecutive year to $2.6 trillion. Below is a table that utilizes data from the SIPRI Military Expenditure Database to break down global defence outlays by nation, with the U.S. leading by a considerable margin. CountryDefence Spend (2024) United States $997B China $314B Russia $149B Germany $88B India $86B United Kingdom $82B Saudi Arabia $80B Ukraine $65B France $65B Japan $55B South Korea $48B Israel $47B Poland $38B Italy $38B Australia $34B Canada $29B Türkiye $25B Spain $25B Netherlands $23B Algeria $22B Brazil $21B Mexico $17B Rest of World $306B In 2024, the U.S. invested nearly a trillion dollars in defence, more than triple that of China, its nearest rival in defence outlays. After the U.S. and China, annual defence expenditures dropped dramatically, with many nations, such as India and Saudi Arabia, spending less than a tenth of what the U.S. does on defence. The Role of Defense Technology While ongoing conflicts have significantly influenced the volume of global defence spending, the increased role of technology in warfare has also contributed to its growth. Many nations seek to modernize their militaries by investing in more specialized defence solutions. These include highly specialized hardware such as sensors, cybersecurity solutions, and artificial intelligence chips. A Doorway for Investors Defence offers investors unique diversification options. As factors outside regular market cycles often drive defence spending, defence technology provides a unique diversification pathway. The Global X Defence Tech UCITS ETF (ARMR) seeks to invest in businesses that develop or benefit from defence technology. Defence technology covers many areas, including big data and artificial intelligence (AI) companies, robotics, fuel systems, and aircraft. In the second part of the Defence Innovation series, we will examine how NATO’s defence spending has changed since the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia war. Learn more about the Global X Defence Tech UCITS ETF (ARMR) and the Europe Focused Defence Tech UCITS ETF (EDEF). 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See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: States with the Most Military Personnel in 2025 This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways California tops the list with over 157,000 active duty personnel, thanks to major bases like Camp Pendleton and Naval Base San Diego. Virginia ranks second due to the Pentagon and the Norfolk Naval Station, world’s largest naval station. Which U.S. states house the most active military personnel? This map highlights where the U.S. Department of Defense concentrates its manpower across the country in 2025. From massive coastal bases to inland installations, certain states stand out as major military hubs. The data for this visualization comes from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). It tracks the number of active duty personnel stationed in each U.S. state, reflecting the current military footprint by location. California Leads with Massive Coastal Presence California hosts over 157,000 active duty personnel, more than any other state. This is largely due to large-scale facilities such as Naval Base San Diego, Camp Pendleton, and Edwards Air Force Base. California’s bases are strategically important for Pacific operations and logistics. RankStateActive Duty Personnel 1California157,477 2Virginia119,878 3Texas112,915 4North Carolina94,805 5Florida67,115 6Georgia65,152 7Washington57,785 8Hawaii43,935 9South Carolina36,145 10Colorado35,433 11Kentucky28,980 12Maryland28,376 13Illinois22,968 14Oklahoma20,760 15Alaska20,040 16Kansas18,973 17New York17,275 18Arizona16,139 19Missouri15,222 20New Mexico13,577 21Louisiana13,031 22Mississippi12,149 23Nevada11,715 24District Of Columbia11,307 25Alabama8,281 26New Jersey7,885 27North Dakota7,234 28Ohio7,000 29Connecticut6,744 30Nebraska6,345 31Utah4,416 32Rhode Island4,215 33Arkansas3,674 34Massachusetts3,502 35Montana3,405 36Delaware3,394 37Idaho3,372 38South Dakota3,204 39Wyoming3,126 40Tennessee2,450 41Pennsylvania2,276 42Michigan1,897 43Oregon1,482 44New Hampshire1,262 45Indiana1,050 46Wisconsin988 47Maine652 48Minnesota628 49Iowa195 50West Virginia171 51Vermont128 Virginia, with nearly 120,000 active duty members, ranks second. The Pentagon, the seat of U.S. military command, and Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval base in the world, are both located in the state. Southern States Are Prominent Hubs Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia round out the top six. These states benefit from expansive land, warm climates, and proximity to the Atlantic or Gulf coasts. In 2024, the largest recipients of U.S. defense spending were Texas, Virginia, and California, with significant portions also going to Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, and North Carolina. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Largest Combat Tank Fleets in 2025 on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Every week at VC+, we release a Special Dispatch, giving members a visual deep dive into the trending topics that matter. This week, we offer an exclusive visual guide to the Global Cost of Living—with analysis that includes: Countries still grappling with double-digit inflation What income it takes to be ‘middle class’ today Who’s financially ready for retirement And much more This Special Dispatch is exclusive to VC+ members but you can access the full breakdown by joining VC+ today. For now, read on for a sneak preview. Preview: The Cost of Moving Out of Your Parents’ House Moving out of your parents’ house is often the first big step toward financial independence. But around the world, this milestone is happening later and later. We break down the typical costs young adults face when renting their first home. Preview: European Countries Giving the Most in Pensions Across the Atlantic, European retirees experience vastly different financial realities depending on their country’s pension system, a sharp contrast to America’s more individualized approach to retirement planning. We take a look at the most generous pension packages in Europe. Preview: The Income a Family Needs to be Middle Class Household budget pressures vary widely depending on where you live. In the U.S., what counts as “middle class” income isn’t a fixed number—it changes a lot by state. We visualize these income differences across the country. To see the above charts in their full glory—and much more—join VC+ and unlock a whole host of members only benefits. What Else Do VC+ Members Get? If you enjoy Visual Capitalist, you’ll love our premium subscription: VC+. As a member, you’ll get exclusive access to: Special Dispatches: Weekly visual briefings on crucial reports and global trends Markets This Month: A snappy summary of the state of the markets, every month The Trendline: Weekly curation of the best visualizations from across the globe, handpicked by the Visual Capitalist editorial team Global Forecast Series: Our flagship annual report that covers everything you need to know related to the economy, markets, geopolitics, and the latest tech trends VC+ Archive: Hundreds of previously released VC+ briefings and reports that you’ve been missing out on, all in one dedicated hub Visual Capitalist Ad-Free: Complimentary Ad-Free access (worth $23.99/year) Join VC+ Now to Access

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualized: Telecommunications Investment by Country This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways The U.S. leads global telecommunications investment, with over $107 billion invested China ranks second at $59.1 billion, followed by Japan and Germany The telecommunications sector is essential to modern communication and economic development, enabling everything from e-commerce to social networking. Each year, telcos around the world spend billions on upgrading their infrastructure and services as they adapt to new technologies and the ever-growing demand for connectivity. This infographic highlights the world’s top 20 countries by telecommunications investment using latest available data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The ITU measures telecommunications investment as the capital expenditure by entities providing telecoms networks and services, in each financial year. Which Countries Invest the Most in Telecoms? The United States leads with more than $107 billion in telecoms investment, based on the latest available data from 2022. The country hosts some of the world’s largest telcos, including T-Mobile US, AT&T, and Verizon. Here’s a look at the rest of the top 20 countries by investment in telecommunications: CountryRegionTotal Investment in Telecoms (2023) United States* North America$107.3B China Asia$59.1B Japan* Asia$23.3B Germany Europe$16.2B India* Asia$16.1B France Europe$14.9B United Kingdom Europe$12.3B Canada North America$9.9B Iran Middle East$9.2B Italy Europe$7.1B Australia Oceania$6.5B South Korea Asia$5.9B Spain Europe$5.2B Brazil South America$5.1B Russian Federation Asia$4.4B Netherlands Europe$4.3B Saudi Arabia Middle East$4.1B Mexico North America$3.1B Switzerland Europe$3.0B *Data for the United States, Japan, and India is from 2022. China, where state-owned enterprises dominate the sector, follows the U.S. with just over $59 billion in telecoms investment. The country’s largest telecom firm, China Mobile Ltd, has the world’s biggest customer base with over one billion subscribers. Other Asian countries include Japan, at around $23 billion, and India, where the cost of mobile data is one of the lowest globally. Additionally, seven of the top 20 countries are from Europe, reflecting the continent’s extensive networks and widespread 5G rollout. Germany leads European nations with $16.2 billion in telecommunications investment, and hosts the continent’s biggest telco, Deutsche Telekom. France ($14.9B) and the United Kingdom ($12.3B) are among the other large telecoms investors in Europe. Learn More on the Voronoi App For more insights, check out this infographic on the Share of People Living in the Range of a 4G Network on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 9 mins ago on July 3, 2025 By Julia Wendling Article & Editing Alan Kennedy Graphics & Design Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Inigo Insurance Ranking America’s Most Common Financial Crimes As technology and AI become more widespread, fraud and other suspicious activities are on the rise across America. But which types are the most common? In partnership with Inigo Insurance, this graphic breaks down the most frequently reported financial crimes, using data from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Rising Wave of Fraud Financial crime is on the rise, with no signs of slowing down. According to Kroll’s 2025 Financial Crime Report, 71% of respondents expect financial crime risks to grow even further throughout 2025. Even more worrying, fewer than a quarter believe their companies are adequately protected. So, what’s fueling this surge in financial crime worldwide? Several factors are at play—from geopolitical tensions to fragile supply chains. But one of the biggest emerging threats is criminals’ growing use of AI, including deepfake images and videos. In fact, the misuse of AI and other modern technologies has given bad actors even more power, driving a rise in fraud and money laundering schemes, such as purposeless or out-of-pattern transactions. The Top Financial Crimes in America The three most common financial crimes are check fraud, purposeless transactions—meaning financial activities with no legitimate business or lawful purpose—and suspicious sources of funds. Each of these saw more than 500,000 monthly reports in 2024. RankSuspicious ActivityCount 1Check Fraud521k 2Transaction with No Apparent Economic/Business/Lawful Purpose512k 3Suspicion Concerning the Source of Funds501k 4Transaction(s) Below CTR Threshold454k 5Suspicious EFT/Wire Transfers430k 6Transaction Out of Pattern for Customer(s)354k 7Credit/Debit Card Fraud298k 8Suspicious Use of Multiple Transaction Locations274k 9Identity Theft273k 10Other Fraud 246k Rounding out the top five are transactions that fall below the Currency Transaction Report (CTR) threshold (generally between $200 and $10,000) and suspicious transfers. The rest of the list includes transactions outside normal patterns, credit and debit card fraud, suspicious use of multiple transaction locations, identity theft, and other unique types of fraud—together accounting for nearly 1.5 million reports. Be Prepared Financial crime poses a diverse range of risks. Defending against it requires data-driven expertise that reveals hidden dangers and protects our wealth protectors.  Visit Inigo for a data-driven view of risk. You may also like Economy23 hours ago Tracking the $3.1 Trillion Financial Crime Pandemic From money laundering to fraud, financial crime acts as a drain on the economy, totaling an incredible $3.1 trillion. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: The Rise of China’s R&D Spending This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways China’s R&D spending grew nearly sixfold between 2007 and 2023 The United States leads in absolute R&D spending globally Over the past two decades, global investment in research and development (R&D) has accelerated, but no country has seen a rise as dramatic as China. This chart visualizes the growth of Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD) from 2007 to 2023 across four major economies: the United States, China, the European Union, and Japan. The data comes from the OECD and is adjusted for inflation and purchasing power parity (PPP), allowing for a like-for-like comparison across countries and time. China’s Innovation Spending Arc Back in 2007, China spent just $136 billion on R&D—less than a third of the U.S. total and behind both Europe and Japan. But over the next 16 years, Chinese R&D spending grew nearly sixfold, reaching $781 billion in 2023. That figure now puts it closely behind the United States, which spent $823 billion on R&D in 2023. Country2007 R&D Spending2023 R&D Spending2007–2023 Growth (%) China $135.8B$780.7B475% U.S. $461.9B$823.4B78% EU $336.2B$504.0B50% Japan $175.4B$193.9B11% The EU’s growth was modest over the period, while Japan’s spending remained nearly flat, with only a slight uptick. Looking at spending by sector, the U.S. leads in business and higher education R&D expenditure. Many American tech manufacturers have significantly boosted their R&D investments in recent years, contributing to the domestic business total. Meanwhile, China’s government sector R&D spending is 1.6 times that of the United States. R&D spending as a percentage of GDP is highest in the U.S. and Japan, at around 3.45%. China follows at 2.58%, and the EU area spends the least with 2.13% of its GDP. How Are Governments Allocating R&D Budgets? Governments often increase R&D spending to drive innovation, boost economic growth, or achieve strategic objectives like military capabilities and energy independence. In 2023, the OECD area allocated over $107 billion to the defense sector. The health sector received nearly $90 billion in monetary support, followed by the education (ex. university funds) and energy sectors. Government R&D expenditure on energy and the environment and defense increased by 29% and 16%, respectively. On the contrary, R&D spending on health and education (ex. university funds) declined, following a sharp rise during the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn More on the Voronoi App For more insights, check out this infographic on the World’s Top 50 Science and Tech Clusters on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Much Revenue Do Tech Giants Earn Per Employee? This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways OnlyFans is one of the world’s most efficient companies, generating $37.6 million in revenue per employee Valve is also a top company in this regard, leveraging its digital distribution platform, Steam Which tech companies are generating the most profit per employee? In this graphic, we’ve visualized 22 major tech companies by revenue per employee in 2024, highlighting the efficiency of business models that monetize user-generated content. Data & Discussion The data for this visualization comes from Multiples. PlatformRevenue per Employee ($) OnlyFans$37,600,000 Valve$19,000,000 YouTube$7,600,000 NVIDIA$3,600,000 Instagram$2,500,000 Lyft$2,000,000 Twitch$2,000,000 Apple$2,400,000 Meta$2,200,000 Alphabet$1,900,000 Airbnb$1,500,000 Broadcom$1,400,000 Uber$1,400,000 Upwork$1,300,000 Etsy$1,200,000 Mercari$1,100,000 Microsoft$1,100,000 Instacart$1,000,000 Booking Holdings$1,000,000 eBay$900,000 TikTok$600,000 Amazon$400,000 Revenue per Employee Leaders OnlyFans, Valve, and YouTube are the top three leaders in this dataset. All three are digital platforms that have successfully scaled up with a relatively small workforce. OnlyFans has 51-200 employees according to LinkedIn, while Valve operates Steam, the world’s largest PC gaming platform, with a workforce of just 350 people. YouTube has the largest headcount of the three, with 7,173 employees as of January 2024. By leveraging user-generated content (OnlyFans and YouTube) or digital distribution strategies (Valve), these companies differ from traditional companies that rely on labor-intensive operations. The Origins of OnlyFans OnlyFans was founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Tim Stokely as a subscription-based platform where creators could monetize content directly from fans, initially targeting fitness influencers and lifestyle personalities. The platform’s growth accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has become extremely popular in the adult entertainment industry. In 2018, Stokely sold 75% of OnlyFans’ parent company to Ukranian-American billionaire Leonid Radvinsky, and later stepped down as its CEO in 2021. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out America’s Top 25 Companies by Revenue on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualizing Sea Level Rise and Decline in America This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Coastal cities, including Grand Isle, Louisiana and Rockport, Texas saw the highest sea level rises in 2024. Since 2010, sea levels in Grand Isle have risen seven inches—with Louisiana seeing one of the fastest rate of land loss globally. In southeastern Virginia, sea levels are not only rising but land is sinking at a notable rate, further compounding the issue. In America, the Gulf Coast is experiencing the sharpest sea level rise, with areas particularly hit by high tide flooding. Among the primary causes is the melting of glaciers in Greenland. By contrast, sea levels are falling at the sharpest rate in Juneau, Alaska, at 13.7 millimeters in 2024. This too is driven by melting glaciers—but instead it is causing the land to rise given the loss of glacier weight. This graphic shows the rate of sea level change in America, based on data from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The study selected 36 U.S. coastal locations with tide monitoring stations for an even distribution across both U.S. coasts, and the city of Naples, Florida was excluded from the visualization due to it not having data for 2024. Gulf Coast Sees the Fastest Sea Level Rise Below, we show sea level trends across 35 U.S. coastal cities in 2024: LocationRate of Rise/Fall 2024 (millimeters per year) Grand Isle, LA8.2 Rockport, TX7.2 Galveston, TX6.9 Norfolk, VA5.6 Yorktown, VA5.4 Port Isabel, TX5.2 Solomons Island, MD5.2 Sandy Hook, NJ4.8 Savannah, GA4.6 Annapolis, MD4.6 Charleston, SC4.3 Baltimore, MD4.1 New York, NY4.0 St Petersburg, FL3.8 Pensacola, FL3.7 Ft. Myers, FL3.7 Key West, FL3.6 Wilmington, NC3.6 Boston, MA3.5 Cedar Key, FL3.5 Jacksonville, FL3.3 San Diego, CA2.7 Eastport, ME2.4 Seattle, WA2.1 South Beach, OR1.9 San Francisco, CA1.9 Portland, ME1.8 Los Angeles, CA1.7 Alameda, CA1.1 Astoria, OR0.3 Ketchikan, AK-0.6 Crescent City, CA-0.7 Sitka, AK-3.0 Yakutat Bay, AK-12.1 Juneau, AK-13.7 Grand Isle, Louisiana ranks first overall, with a 8.2 millimeter per year (mm/year) rise in sea levels in 2024. Given that the area is highly prone to flooding, average annual home insurance costs a staggering $11,000. Overall, insurance costs total 5.7% of an average home’s value. Following next in line is Rockport, Texas, which is also susceptible to flash flooding. Overall, Texas is home to three of the top 10 cities with the fastest sea level rise. On the other end of the spectrum is Alaska, where sea levels fell by 13.7 millimeters in Juneau and 12.1 millimeters in Yakutat Bay. As melting ice reshapes the Arctic, Alaska is gaining prominence in global trade and geopolitics. Its vast reserves of oil, gas, and rare earth minerals make it a strategic asset for nations vying for influence in the region. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic from a global perspective, check out this graphic on the countries wit the most freshwater resources.

Published 1 hour ago on July 2, 2025 By Julia Wendling Article & Editing Alan Kennedy Graphics & Design Lebon Siu Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Inigo Insurance Tracking the $3.1 Trillion Financial Crime Pandemic From money laundering to fraud, financial crime acts as a drain on the economy, totaling an incredible $3.1 trillion. This puts everyone—from businesses to individuals—at risk.  This graphic, created in partnership with Inigo, breaks down the largest sources of financial crime, using data from Nasdaq’s 2024 Global Financial Crime Report.  Organized Crime Takes the Top Spot The largest source comes in the form of organized crime, which covers a wide range of activities including corruption, money laundering, and fraud. In total, illicit activities under this umbrella account for $1.96 trillion. Criminal ActivityTotal ($ billions) Organized Crime: Corruption, Money Laundering, etc.1,958 Drug Trafficking783 Human Trafficking347 Terrorist Financing12 Specifically, fraud is one of the largest areas of organized crime, with global annual losses approaching $500 billion. This category includes the likes of fraudulent investments, impersonations, and faulty insurance claims, among others. Geographically, the damages are spread fairly evenly across the Americas ($653.4 billion), Europe, the Middle East, and Africa ($613.9 billion), and Asia-Pacific ($690.8 billion).  Indeed, organized crime has been on the rise globally. Every single country reported an increase in overall levels from 2021 to 2023, according to the Global Organized Crime Index. Other Types of Crime The next two largest sources of finance-related crime are drug trafficking, accounting for $783 billion, and human trafficking, at $347 billion. Both have devastating impacts on individuals, families, and entire communities. These crimes also occur at similar levels across different regions of the world.  Terrorist financing ranks fourth, totaling $12 billion. The Americas lead the way, accounting for $5.1 billion, compared to $3.7 billion in EMEA and $2.7 billion in Asia-Pacific. Track the Risks Organized financial crime is a $2 trillion covert drain on the economy. Inigo’s Financial Institutions experts proactively track financial crime risks, uncovering data-driven insights to expose hidden threats and empower wealth protectors to act decisively. Visit Inigo for a data-driven view of risk. You may also like Money5 hours ago Mapped: The Income a Family Needs to Be Middle Class, by State This map breaks down the median household income for each U.S. state. Misc21 hours ago Visualized: DOGE’s Spending Cuts vs. U.S. Federal Budget So far, the actual estimated savings from DOGE’s proposed cuts come in at just only 2.6% of the proposed federal budget. Business1 day ago Ranked: Global Foreign Direct Investment Inflows and Outflows Global FDI remained resilient in 2023, with significant capital continuing to move across borders despite geopolitical tensions. Maps1 day ago Ranked: 40 Best Countries in the World, According to People This 2024 ranking reveals Switzerland tops the list of best countries, with Japan and the U.S. close behind—see why quality of life still reigns. Economy2 days ago Chart: American Imports Post Record Monthly Decline American imports sank 20% in April as Trump tariffs weighed on trade activity. We show which import categories were impacted the most. Markets2 days ago Ranked: Emerging Markets by FDI Confidence China ranks as the top emerging economy by FDI confidence, retaining its place from 2024. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Charted: The Growth of Global Data Center Capacity (2005–2025) This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Global data center capacity has grown fivefold between 2005 and 2025 Data centers consume about 485 terawatt-hours of electricity globally, representing 1.7% of global electricity demand As digital infrastructure continues to expand rapidly, data centers have seen explosive growth in demand and capacity globally. The growth has been especially pronounced over the last decade, with cloud computing and AI driving the demand for data storage and infrastructure. This chart visualizes the installed data center capacity worldwide from 2005 to 2025 (estimated), using data from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Soaring Demand for Data Center In 2005, global installed data center capacity stood at 21.4 gigawatts (GW). As of 2025, that figure stands at an estimated 114 gigawatts—up more than fivefold in 20 years. YearGlobal Installed Data Centre Capacity (GW) Annual Growth Rate 200521.4- 200623.811.2% 200724.84.2% 200825.94.4% 200926.93.9% 201028.04.1% 201129.03.6% 201229.72.4% 201330.52.7% 201431.32.6% 201532.95.1% 201635.37.3% 201738.17.9% 201843.514.2% 201951.618.6% 202059.715.7% 202166.912.1% 202274.110.8% 202383.212.3% 202497.116.7% 2025e114.317.7% Until 2018, global data center capacity was growing at a modest rate annually. However, capacity installations have accelerated recently, with double-digit growth every year from 2018 to 2025. Data center capacity grew fastest in 2019 at 18.6%, and 2025 is set to be the second-best year with an estimated 17.7% increase in installed capacity. Furthermore, the demand for data centers is likely to continue rising with AI usage, given that they store the data used to train AI models and provide the computational power used to deploy them. Growing Electricity Demand from Data Centers Data centers are energy-intensive and use large amounts of electricity to run servers and cool their infrastructure. Today, data center facilities consume about 485 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, representing 1.7% of global demand. By 2030, electricity consumption for data centers is projected to reach around 945 TWh. Regionally, the U.S. remains the dominant data center hub globally, both in terms of installed capacity and electricity usage, followed by China and Europe. The U.S. and China are also projected to be the biggest drivers of data center electricity consumption through 2030. Learn More on the Voronoi App For more insights, check out this infographic on how the world is powering its data centers on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The Income a Family Needs to Be Middle Class, by U.S. State This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Maryland, Washington D.C., and Massachusetts have the highest median household income, all above $90,000 annually. Mississippi, West Virginia, and Alabama have the lowest median income, all below $54,000 a year. Across the United States, what qualifies as “middle class” varies widely depending on where you live. This map breaks down the median household income for each U.S. state, revealing sharp contrasts in earning power. It provides a snapshot of where families may feel more or less financially secure based on local income benchmarks. The data for this visualization comes from SmartAsset. Editor’s note: This map uses median household income as a simple indicator of the middle class in each state. True middle class status typically spans a range of incomes. Top Earners Cluster in the Northeast Maryland, Washington D.C., and Massachusetts lead the nation with household incomes at or above $90,000. High concentrations of federal jobs, tech firms, and elite educational institutions contribute to these numbers. According to Pew Research Center, these regions also report strong access to health care and education, reinforcing higher cost-of-living dynamics. RankStateMedian Household Income 1Maryland$90,203 2District Of Columbia$90,088 3Massachusetts$89,645 4New Jersey$89,296 5New Hampshire$88,465 6Washington$87,820 7California$85,388 8Utah$84,131 9Virginia$83,848 10Connecticut$83,771 11Colorado$82,067 12Alaska$81,818 13Minnesota$80,774 14Oregon$77,305 15Illinois$76,384 16Hawaii$76,285 17New York$74,314 18Georgia$74,063 19Rhode Island$74,008 20Wisconsin$73,014 21Nevada$72,618 22Pennsylvania$71,412 23Arizona$71,033 24Michigan$69,965 25North Dakota$69,478 26Texas$69,430 27North Carolina$67,671 28Delaware$67,016 29Iowa$66,122 30Missouri$65,795 31South Dakota$64,956 32Indiana$64,806 33Florida$64,666 34Nebraska$64,573 35Kansas$64,362 36South Carolina$63,718 37Ohio$61,891 38Maine$61,489 39Montana$59,955 40Tennessee$59,862 41Oklahoma$59,071 42Wyoming$58,845 43Louisiana$58,833 44Vermont$58,654 45Idaho$58,208 46Alabama$55,771 47Kentucky$54,942 48New Mexico$54,076 49Arkansas$52,664 50West Virginia$49,170 51Mississippi$47,519 The South Continues to Lag Behind Southern states like Mississippi, and Alabama have the lowest median household incomes, under $54,000. Economic mobility in these regions is often hindered by lower investment in public infrastructure and education. As Brookings notes, many Southern states also experience higher poverty rates and limited access to high-paying industries. States with Growing Incomes Several states in the West and Midwest—including Oregon, and Utah—are emerging with stronger income levels, typically in the $70,000-$80,000 range. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out U.S. Workers Earning Under $17/Hour by State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization How Much Spending Has DOGE Cut? This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. As debates over spending intensify in Washington, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s 2025 cost-cutting efforts are worth putting into visual perspective. This graphic visualizes DOGE’s proposed spending cut goals and its actual savings against the total projected 2025 federal spending of $7 trillion. Data comes from the Department of Government Efficiency and the Congressional Budget Office. Elon Musk’s quote comes from Reuters. The chart was originally made on June 20th when the DOGE’s savings were $180 billion, which the organization has now updated to be $190 billion. DOGE Cuts Fall Short of Ambitious Goals Below, we show DOGE’s estimated savings, their proposed “best-case” and “good shot” scenario savings, and the U.S.’ projected 2025 spending. ScenarioEstimated savings/value Estimated DOGE savings$190,000,000,000 Elon's "good shot"$1,000,000,000,000 Elon's best-case outcome$2,000,000,000,000 Projected U.S. fiscal year 2025 outlays/spending$7,028,000,000,000 Originally ideated by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, DOGE was proposed as a radical reimagining of federal budgeting, aimed at streamlining government efficiency and cutting costs. Musk helped set the tone with an ambitious “best-case” goal of $2 trillion in spending cuts. He later acknowledged that a $1 trillion cut was a more realistic “good shot.” Musk has since distanced himself from the initiative, especially as he has critiqued Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill”. So far, the actual estimated savings from DOGE’s proposed cuts come in at just $190 billion as of the end of 2025—only 2.7% of the proposed federal budget. Under these cuts, the administration has enacted sweeping layoffs across multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Education, which has seen some of the steepest personnel reductions. More DOGE Cuts on the Horizon Despite these efforts and Musk leaving the organization, more spending cuts may be on the way. The House of Representatives recently passed the “recissions package” that would claw back $9.4 billion in approved spending, including funding to the U.S. Agency for International Development, NPR and PBS, and codify cuts proposed by DOGE. The bill is now headed to the Senate. The push for additional cuts comes as broader fiscal pressures mount. Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is projected to add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit between 2025 and 2034. Meanwhile, the slowdown in federal outlays under DOGE may also be contributing to weaker GDP growth during Trump’s second term, at least in the first quarter. The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow forecasting model sees Q2 GDP currently coming in at 2.9%. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about what areas the Trump administration has focussed on in its first year, check out this graphic that breaks down Trump’s 143 executive orders in his first 100 days in office.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization The World’s Top Companies Fueling R&D Spending Growth This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Nvidia’s research and development (R&D) spending grew by 18.2% in 2023—significantly lower than the 35% rise seen in 2022. Across the pharmaceutical sector, Eli Lilly saw the fastest R&D growth, at 29.5%. Meanwhile, in the auto industry, Germany’s ZF Friedrichshafen outpaced Tesla in R&D expansion, growing 33.1% compared to Tesla’s 29.1%. In 2023, global corporate R&D spending rose by 8.3% to reach $1.2 trillion. While investment in the ICT hardware sector dropped sharply—down 50% year-over-year—it saw the most R&D spend by a wide margin. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical sector, the second-largest by total spending, saw its R&D investment triple. This graphic shows the top companies driving R&D spending growth, based on data from the latest WIPO Global Innovation Index. Global Leaders in R&D Spending Growth Below, we show the companies with the fastest R&D investment growth among the worlds’ top sectors for R&D spend. For the analysis, data was collected from 1,700 of the world’s highest 2,500 R&D spenders in 2023. IndustryTop 3 CompaniesR&D Spending Growth Rate 2023 (%) ICT HardwareNvidia18.2 Advanced Micro Devices17.3 Samsung Electronics14.4 SoftwareAdobe16.3 Uber Technologies13.1 IBM12.5 PharmaceuticalsEli Lilly29.5 Novartis24 Merck U.S.21.7 AutomobilesZF Friedrichshafen33.1 Tesla29.1 Nissan Motor17.5 Construction/ Industrial MetalsChina Energy Engineering Corporation28.1 Xinjiang Tianshan Cement22.6 China Communications Construction Company19.4 Travel, Leisure, and Personal GoodsTrip.com Group45.3 Nintendo25.9 Airbnb14.7 Health Care Equipment and ServicesShenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics21.4 B. Braun17.7 Edwards Lifesciences13.4 OtherPaypal34.5 Petrochina19.8 Boeing18.4 As we can see, Nvidia outpaced all other companies in the ICT hardware sector even as R&D spending growth slowed substantially. Meanwhile, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) was not far behind, with R&D investment increasing 17.3% over the year. Ranking third in the industry was Samsung Electronics, which spent nearly $21 billion on R&D in 2023. Like Nvidia and AMD, it is investing heavily in semiconductor research. When it comes to the pharmaceutical sector, Eli Lilly led the pack with 29.5% annual growth to reach $9.1 billion. The company stands as one of the leading pharma companies offering obesity drugs alongside Novo Nordisk. Today, pharmaceuticals dominate in R&D intensity, with spending equal to 19% of total revenue—the highest among all industries. In the automotive industry, German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen surpassed Tesla in R&D growth, recording a 33.1% increase compared to Tesla’s 29.1%. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic from a global perspective, check out this graphic on gross R&D expenditure by country.

Published 3 hours ago on July 1, 2025 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Lebon Siu Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Terzo Profit Powerhouses: The Top U.S. Companies by Net Income Key Takeaways Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has the largest net income of $100 billion. Technology and financial companies dominate the list. Collectively, the 10 most profitable U.S. companies have a total net income of $684 billion—more than the entire GDP of Belgium.  In this Markets in a Minute graphic, created in partnership with Terzo, we highlight companies with the biggest profits. Ranking the Most Profitable Companies Net income, which measures how much money a company has left after paying its expenses, is an important indicator of company strength. Alphabet had the highest net income of $100 billion. From 2023 to 2024, the company’s revenue rose twice as fast as its costs. RankCompanyNet Income 1Alphabet$100B 2Apple$94B 3Berkshire Hathaway$89B 4Microsoft$88B 5NVIDIA$73B 6Meta$62B 7Amazon$59B 8JP Morgan Chase$58B 9Exxon Mobil$34B 10Bank of America$27B Source: TradingView, based on the latest fiscal year. Apple ranks as the company with the second-highest profit. In dollar terms, most of its profit comes from products like iPhones and Macs. However, services like advertising and AppleCare are nearly twice as profitable, with a 74% gross margin versus 37% for products. Following closely behind, Berkshire Hathaway comes in third in the ranking. Helmed by Warren Buffett, the company earned most of its profit from its GEICO-led insurance business. BNSF, one of the largest railroads in North America, also contributed significantly to earnings. Trends in Net Income Leaders Which types of companies generate the most profit? Technology is most common in the top 10 list. Six companies are either officially categorized under the technology sector (Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia) or have a strong technology focus (Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon).  Financial companies are also dominant, with Berkshire Hathaway, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America making the ranking. Meanwhile, Exxon Mobil is the only energy company on the list.  Are you accountable for driving profit at your company? Stay in sync with your company’s spending using Terzo’s AI-powered financial platform. Related Topics: #apple #amazon #microsoft #alphabet #bank of america #profit #berkshire hathaway #nvidia #net income #Meta #exxon mobil #Terzo #JP Morgan Chase Click for Comments var disqus_shortname = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com"; var disqus_title = "Profit Powerhouses: Ranking The Top 10 U.S. Companies by Net Income"; var disqus_url = "https://www.visualcapitalist.com/sp/ter01-top-10-u-s-companies-by-net-income/"; var disqus_identifier = "visualcapitalist.disqus.com-179368"; More from Terzo Money1 week ago Millionaire Hubs: Mapping the World’s Wealthiest Cities New York City has the highest millionaire population globally. Which other cities attract the world’s wealthiest? Economy2 weeks ago Tomorrow’s Growth: GDP Projections in Key Economies The global economy is expected to have slighter slower growth going forward. Which countries are on track to have the biggest GDP increases? Money2 months ago Mapped: Interest Rates by Country in 2025 The U.S. has kept their target rate the same at 4.25-4.50%. What do interest rates look like in other countries amid economic uncertainty? Markets3 months ago U.S. Housing Prices: Which States Are Booming or Cooling? The national housing market saw a 4.5% rise in house prices. This graphic reveals which states had high price growth, and which didn’t. Investor Education3 months ago The Silent Thief: How Inflation Erodes Investment Gains If you held a $1,000 investment from 1975-2024, this chart shows how the inflation rate can drastically reduce the value of your money. Politics4 months ago Trade Tug of War: America’s Largest Trade Deficits Trump cites trade deficits—the U.S. importing more than it exports—as one reason for tariffs. Which countries represent the largest deficits? Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Visualizing Global Foreign Direct Investment This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Global foreign direct investment remained resilient in 2023, with significant capital continuing to move across borders despite geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Developed economies continued to be the key sources of investment, while certain emerging markets attracted significant inflows. This graphic visualizes global foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows and outflows for several major countries in billions of U.S. dollars. The data comes Citigroup and reflects figures for 2023. U.S. Leads the World in Global FDI Below, we show the FDI inflows and outflows for several major economies in 2023. CountryFDI InflowsFDI Outflows United States$311B$404B China$163B$148B Singapore$160B$63B Hong Kong$113B$104B Brazil$66B$30B Canada$50B$90B France$42B$72B Germany$37B$101B Japan$21B$184B The U.S. was by far the largest source and destination of global FDI in 2023, receiving $311 billion in inbound investments and sending $404 billion overseas. However, recent policy changes like the America First Investment Policy, which aims to restrict outbound investments in critical technologies and strategic sectors, could significantly impact this. The U.S. is increasingly tightening scrutiny on outbound capital flows, especially toward geopolitical rivals, while still encouraging high-value inbound investment that supports domestic priorities like clean energy and advanced manufacturing. Currently, the European Union remains the top investor in U.S.-based enterprises, contributing 45% of all FDI inflows. Globally, countries vary in their roles as capital exporters or recipients. For example, Japan exports far more capital abroad than it receives, reflecting its aging domestic market and deep capital reserves On the other end, Brazil attracts more foreign investment than it sends out, a dynamic driven by its resource-rich economy and demand for external investment in infrastructure and development. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn about the U.S.’ global FDI strategy, check out this graphic that tracks FDI flows from the U.S. and China to Africa.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: 40 Best Countries in the World, According to People This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways Switzerland tops the 2024 “Best Countries” ranking from U.S. News & World Report. Survey respondents gave Switzerland high marks for business (#2), quality of life (#3), social purpose (#7) and cultural influence (#8). The best country in the world is the one you live in. Or… not? This infographic spotlights the 40 countries that the world perceives to be the “best.” Like most efforts to quantify a qualitative measure, this ranking reflects public perceptions, not hard data. However, countries did have to meet certain GDP, tourism, and FDI thresholds to be included in the race. Data for this infographic is sourced from U.S. News & World Report in partnership with Wharton and WPP. They asked more than 17,000 people to judge 87 nations across 73 attributes grouped in 10 subrankings. Their survey was conducted between March 22nd–May 23rd, 2024. Skip to the last section to read the full methodology breakdown, or visit the source’s explanation page here. This Small European Country is the Best in the World From its snow-capped peaks to its powerhouse financial sector, Switzerland has secured the public’s vote as the world’s best country in 2024. RankCountryRegion 1 SwitzerlandWestern Europe 2 JapanEastern Asia 3 U.S.Northern America 4 CanadaNorthern America 5 AustraliaOceania 6 SwedenNorthern Europe 7 GermanyWestern Europe 8 UKNorthern Europe 9 New ZealandOceania 10 DenmarkNorthern Europe 11 NorwayNorthern Europe 12 FranceWestern Europe 13 NetherlandsWestern Europe 14 SingaporeSouth-Eastern Asia 15 ItalySouthern Europe 16 ChinaEastern Asia 17 UAEWestern Asia 18 South KoreaEastern Asia 19 SpainSouthern Europe 20 FinlandNorthern Europe 21 AustriaWestern Europe 22 IcelandNorthern Europe 23 BelgiumWestern Europe 24 IrelandNorthern Europe 25 QatarWestern Asia 26 GreeceSouthern Europe 27 LuxembourgWestern Europe 28 ThailandSouth-Eastern Asia 29 PortugalSouthern Europe 30 BrazilSouth America 31 TurkeyWestern Asia 32 Saudi ArabiaWestern Asia 33 IndiaSouthern Asia 34 MexicoCentral America 35 EgyptNorthern Africa 36 RussiaEastern Europe 37 PolandEastern Europe 38 MalaysiaSouth-Eastern Asia 39 MoroccoNorthern Africa 40 South AfricaSouthern Africa Survey respondents ranked Switzerland highly for business (#2), quality of life (#3), social purpose (#7) and cultural influence (#8). For the hard data enthusiasts, Switzerland ranks third by GDP per capita, ($105,000), boosted by its enormous banking sector known for its secrecy. It’s fourth by GNI per capita ($95,070), which removes the effects of outside financial flows entering the country. Economic Might Still Matters However, Japan (#2) and the U.S. (#3) remain fixtures near the top thanks to their outsized GDPs, deep innovation pipelines and global brands. Business friendliness weighed heavily: they’re top five for entrepreneurship, while the U.S. ranks #1 for agility and power. Meanwhile, high investor confidence and strong currency reserves help each nation offset middling scores on cost of living and income equality. Together they illustrate how sheer economic heft continues to sway public perception—even in an era generally more focused on sustainability and social values. Middle East and Asia Make Inroads in Global Perceptions The UAE (#17), Qatar (#25) and Saudi Arabia (#32) showcase the Middle East’s growing soft-power ambitions. Targeted investment in tourism, green energy, and cultural projects burnishes their brand beyond the somewhat disparaging “petro-state” label. Likewise, South Korea (#18), Singapore (#14) and China (#16) leverage advanced manufacturing and technological prowess to climb the ranking. Their rise hints at a more multipolar world where Western dominance over “best country” narratives is steadily eroding. Determining the “Best Countries” in the World U.S. News designed its “Best Countries” ranking around 73 attributes grouped into 10 thematic subrankings, such as quality of life, power, and entrepreneurship. To reiterate, these rankings reflect public perceptions, not hard data. To gather this, the survey is distributed globally to about 17,000 respondents, including business leaders, informed elites, and general citizens. Each participant is shown a random subset of countries (that must meet GDP, tourism, and FDI thresholds) and asked to rate how strongly they associate those countries with each of the 73 attributes. These individual attributes are pre-assigned to categories by researchers, and scores are normalized on a 0–100 scale. Category scores are then averaged for each country. Finally, respondents also rank how important each category is to them. These rankings determine the weights assigned to each category. A country’s final score is calculated by combining its weighted category scores, producing the overall rankings seen in this graphic. Learn More on the Voronoi App If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The World’s Richest Countries Across Three Metrics on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Chart: American Imports Post Record Monthly Decline This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways In April, U.S. goods imports fell 20% to reach $275.9 billion, with the largest decline seen across consumer goods. Pharmaceutical imports dropped by $26 billion due to Trump’s April 6 ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs. Industrial imports sank 31%, with finished metal shapes falling by $16.9 billion alone—one of the highest single categories overall. In April, U.S. goods imports dropped 20% in the largest monthly decline on record. Overall, goods imports fell from $344.6 billion in March to $275.9 billion as Trump tariffs weighed on U.S. trade activity. So far, the cost to corporations is estimated to be $34 billion, with the consumer goods and automotive sectors hit among the hardest. This graphic shows the decline in American imports across major categories, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Shifting Dynamics of American Imports Below, we show the value of U.S. imports in April by category: CategoryMarch 2025 (B)April 2025 (B)Change (%) Consumer goods$102.9$69.9-32 Industrial supplies and materials$75.3$52.0-31 Automotives$41.5$33.2-20 Foods, feeds, and beverages$19.3$18.5-4 Capital goods (excl automotives)$93.5$90.6-3 Other goods$12.1$11.7-3 Total$344.6$275.9-20 As we can see, consumer goods imports fell to $69.9 billion, almost a third lower than in the previous month. Pharmaceuticals played a key role in driving this decline, with imports contracting by $26 billion in April alone. Meanwhile, automotive imports tumbled by 20%, with notable drops from Canada. While the U.S. trade deficit hit all-time highs in March ahead of Trump’s anticipated tariffs, it contracted by 55% in April to reach levels seen in September 2023. Yet whether or not this trend continues is an open question. As Trump paused tariffs on China and reached bilateral trade agreements, imports could gradually tick up once again. However, uncertainty remains piqued among corporate America—with several firms including Apple and Ford drastically cutting profit outlooks due to shifting barriers to trade. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic from a U.S.-based perspective, check out this graphic on the top trading parter of each state.

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Emerging Markets by FDI Confidence This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways China, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia are the top three emerging markets by FDI confidence in 2025 Brazil overtook India to take the fourth spot, with both countries making the top five Domestic economic performance and efficiency of legal and regulatory processes were the top two priorities for FDI investors Emerging markets often attract foreign investors with prospects for higher economic growth and diversification. Where are global business leaders placing their foreign direct investment (FDI) bets in 2025? This chart highlights the top 25 emerging markets by FDI confidence score in 2025, based on a survey conducted by Kearney. The rankings are drawn from responses by 536 senior executives at global companies with annual revenues above $500 million. China Leads in Foreign Investor Sentiment China (including Hong Kong) remains the top emerging market for foreign investor confidence in 2025. However, FDI inflows have slowed in recent years, hitting multi-year lows in 2023. Following China, the UAE and Saudi Arabia also retain their places as the second and third-most favored developing economies for FDI. Here’s a look at the full list of top emerging markets for FDI confidence in 2025: RankCountryFDI Confidence Score 1China (including Hong Kong) 1.97 2United Arab Emirates 1.86 3Saudi Arabia 1.76 4Brazil 1.59 5India 1.53 6Mexico 1.51 7South Africa 1.48 8Poland 1.46 9Argentina 1.46 10Thailand 1.45 11Malaysia 1.42 12Indonesia 1.35 13Egypt 1.33 14Türkiye 1.33 15Chile 1.30 16Philippines 1.29 17Hungary 1.28 18Kuwait 1.28 19Vietnam 1.27 20Colombia 1.27 21Romania 1.24 22Bulgaria 1.19 23Costa Rica 1.19 24Peru 1.16 25Uruguay 1.15 Brazil and India—two of the biggest emerging economies by GDP—round out the top five, with Brazil overtaking India in FDI confidence in the 2025 rankings. These rankings align with investors’ FDI priorities from the same survey, where the efficiency of legal and regulatory processes and domestic economic performance top the list. South Africa made the largest upward move in 2025, jumping from 11th to 7th in the rankings. It also recorded FDI inflows of around $661 million in Q1 2025, up 56% from the fourth quarter of 2024. Overall, 11 of the top 25 emerging markets for FDI confidence are in Asia and the Middle East. What’s Driving Investor Confidence? The factors driving FDI confidence vary for each economy. In China, tech innovation was the leading driver of investor confidence, while economic performance ranked highest for the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the talent/skill of the labor pools in India and Mexico were the strongest factors attracting investors. Learn More on the Voronoi App To learn more about this topic, see how Emerging Markets Compete With the U.S. in Stock Market Returns on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Published 6 hours ago on June 30, 2025 By Jenna Ross Graphics & Design Jennifer West Athul Alexander Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pinterest Email The following content is sponsored by Plasma Ranked: The Biggest Currency Drops So Far in 2025 Key Takeaways The Venezuelan bolívar has fallen the most so far in 2025 amid high inflation and uncertain oil revenue. Six of the 10 biggest currency drops were in African countries. Can you count on the value of your currency holding relatively steady? The answer to this question will depend on where you live, along with economic circumstances.  The second graphic in our Digital Dollar Series, created in partnership with Plasma, highlights currencies that have seen the biggest drops so far in 2025. When Currency Takes the Plunge In the first half of 2025, the Venezuelan bolívar saw a large decline. Consider this: on January 1, it would have taken 52 Venezuelan Bolivars to buy one U.S. dollar. By June 27, you would need 106 Bolivars to buy one U.S. dollar.  The currency’s value has been quite volatile for decades. Most recently, the bolívar has been declining due to high inflation, dwindling dollar reserves, the end of a fixed exchange rate, and uncertain oil revenue amid U.S. sanctions. Currency NameYTD Decline Against USD Venezuelan Bolívar-51% South Sudanese Pound-15% Argentine Peso-13% Turkish Lira-11% Libyan Dinar-9% Tanzanian Shilling-8% Liberian Dollar-8% Surinamese Dollar-7% Ethiopian Birr-6% Rwandan Franc-5% Source: Trading Economics, author calculations. Year-to-date as of June 27, 2025 and excludes cryptocurrencies. After the bolívar, the South Sudanese Pound has seen the second-largest currency drop. The IMF projects that South Sudan will be the worst performing economy in 2025. South Sudan has faced disrupted oil production due to war in neighboring Sudan, through which it transports oil to international customers. This has led to a significant decline in export revenues estimated at $7 million per day. On top of this the country faces hyperinflation and political instability. Finding Stability With Digital Dollars For people living in countries with declining currencies, it’s not always easy to access more stable currencies like the U.S. dollar. Physical cash may be scarce, and countries may have limited foreign currency reserves. This is where stablecoins come in. Pegged to assets like the U.S. dollar, stablecoins help people preserve the value of their money. With just a smartphone, even people without bank accounts can access them—providing a fast, accessible way to protect their finances. Plasma makes stablecoin payments faster and cheaper. Find out how. You may also like Technology4 weeks ago Ranked: Countries With the Highest Remittance Costs To send money across borders, workers can be charged high remittance fees—over 50% of the amount transferred in some cases. Subscribe Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Join the 375,000+ subscribers who receive our daily email *Sign Up

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Ranked: Countries With the Fewest Children in 2025 This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. Key Takeaways South Korea (12.9%) & Japan (14.0%) are the largest countries with the fewest children as a share of the population in 2025. No African, South Asian, or Latin American mainland countries appear on the list — a sign of younger populations. Children are becoming rarer in many high-income economies. Fertility rates have fallen, life expectancy has risen, and migration patterns are shifting age structures. The infographic linked above ranks 36 countries where fewer than one-fifth of residents are under 18 years old. Data for the above visualization comes from the UN World Population Prospects, using projections for 2025. Understanding where the fewest children live matters because it foreshadows shrinking workforces, changing consumer demand, and mounting pressures on pension systems. Ranked: Countries With the Fewest Children by Population Share Hong Kong (12.6%), South Korea (12.9%), and Japan (14.0%) have the fewest children as a share of the population in 2025. Relatedly, they also have some of the highest shares of seniors. RankCountry% of Population Below 18