The popularity of marketplaces, which dominate the global e-commerce ecosystem, continues at full speed. Third-party marketplaces are gaining strength globally. Marketplaces account for 83.4% of global e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV). As of 2025, the share of first-party online stores remained at only 16.6%.

E-commerce is no longer just about running your own online store. Around the world, marketplaces are playing a significant role in shaping how consumers shop. E-Commerce Database (ECDB), a market intelligence platform that provides data on global e-commerce, has released some data for 2025.

According to ECDB data, third-party marketplaces are steadily increasing their popularity worldwide. While marketplace penetration in Europe stands at 60.8%, a mixed picture emerges in the Americas. In Asia, 97% of e-commerce revenues are generated through marketplaces. 83.4% of global gross merchandise value is generated through marketplaces.

Marketplaces Dominate Global E-Commerce

Marketplaces are becoming increasingly widespread on a global scale. The share of revenue generated through third-party marketplaces within global e-commerce revenues is also increasing. In 2023, 19% of global e-commerce revenues were generated by online stores. This rate declined to 16.6% as of 2025. In contrast, revenues generated through global marketplaces increased from 81% to 83.4%.

Asia Leads in Marketplace Shares

Asia stands apart from all continents with its marketplace dominance. The share of marketplaces in Asia’s e-commerce revenues reached 97% in 2025. The reason for this is that major platforms played a central role in building e-commerce infrastructure in the region. Marketplaces created habits that continue to influence online shopping today.

Marketplaces Account for 61% of European E-Commerce

A large majority of online transactions in Europe take place through marketplaces. In 2025, marketplaces accounted for 60.8% of total e-commerce gross merchandise value (GMV). The GMV share of marketplaces in Europe stood at 56.2% in 2023. Europe still lags behind other parts of the world because many heritage brands on the continent traditionally focus on direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales or their own online stores.

A Mixed Picture Prevails in the Americas

In the Americas, the picture is more complex. North American brands still rely heavily on their own online stores. South American consumers prefer large marketplaces such as MercadoLibre and Shopee. In many emerging markets, most of the GMV flows through these ecosystems. The GMV share of marketplaces in the Americas reached 67.8% last year.