Approximately 156 million people in the United States own stock, which accounts for 58% of the total U.S. adult population (or roughly 45% of the total overall population).

Roughly 12.5 to 15 million adults in the UK actively invest in the stock market (excluding automatic workplace pensions).Percentage of Population: This accounts for 23% of the UK adult population (or roughly 18% of the total population).

Across the EU, only about 20% of families hold stocks directly or through mutual funds. This averages out to fewer than 15% of total EU citizens actively investing in capital markets.Because the EU consists of 27 distinct nations, stock market participation is highly fragmented. It varies drastically by country, with Sweden at the top with 37%.

Founders typically own a very small part of the total market value (market capitalization) of a business--on the order of 5% or less.

The top 10 publicly traded companies globally have a combined market capitalization of roughly $32.5 trillion.

Of this capital, approximately $27.5 trillion (around 85%) is owned by public shareholders, institutional investors, and retail buyers, with the remaining 15% held by company founders, insiders, and government entities.