VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Thursday, January 8, 2026

Stock Comparison

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited vs Sea Limited

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

0388.HK · Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX)

Market cap (USD)$546.5B
Gross margin (TTM)85.7%
Operating margin (TTM)80.9%
Net margin (TTM)68.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Data & Stock Exchanges
CountryHK
Data as of2026-01-03
Moat score
92/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 0388.HK analysis

Sea Limited

SE · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)44.9%
Operating margin (TTM)8.2%
Net margin (TTM)6.8%
SectorConsumer
IndustrySpecialty Retail
CountrySG
Data as of2026-01-06
Moat score
69/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Sea Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View SE analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited leads (92 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for Sea Limited).
  • Segment focus: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has 4 segments (52.6% in Cash Markets); Sea Limited has 3 segments (73.8% in Shopee (E-commerce)).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has 9 moat types across 5 domains; Sea Limited has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

Cash Markets

Market

Exchange-based cash equities trading, clearing and settlement in Hong Kong (including Stock Connect cash markets)

Geography

Hong Kong (with Mainland China Connect linkage)

Customer

Brokers, banks, proprietary trading firms, and investors; listed issuers via primary/secondary markets

Role

Exchange operator + clearing/settlement/depository operator

Revenue share

52.6%

Sea Limited

Shopee (E-commerce)

Market

E-commerce marketplace and related value-added services

Geography

Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Brazil

Customer

Consumers and sellers

Role

Marketplace operator

Revenue share

73.8%

Side-by-side metrics

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
Sea Limited
Ticker / Exchange
0388.HK - Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX)
SE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$546.5B
$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
85.7%
44.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
80.9%
8.2%
Net margin (TTM)
68.3%
6.8%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Financial - Data & Stock Exchanges
Specialty Retail
HQ country
HK
SG
Primary segment
Cash Markets
Shopee (E-commerce)
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
100% (reported)
52% (reported)
HHI estimate
10,000
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
92 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Financial, Supply, Demand
Network, Supply, Legal
Last update
2026-01-03
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkDirect Network EffectsDistribution Control

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited strengths

Concession LicenseClearing SettlementInteroperability HubBenchmark Pricing PowerPhysical Network DensitySwitching Costs General

Sea Limited strengths

Ecosystem ComplementsRegulated Standards PipeContractual Exclusivity

Segment mix

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited segments

Full profile >

Cash Markets

Monopoly

52.6%

Equity and Financial Derivatives

Monopoly

20.3%

Commodities (LME and related)

Oligopoly

14.8%

Data and Connectivity

Quasi-Monopoly

12.2%

Sea Limited segments

Full profile >

Shopee (E-commerce)

Oligopoly

73.8%

SeaMoney (Digital Financial Services)

Competitive

14.1%

Garena (Digital Entertainment)

Competitive

11.4%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.