VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

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Wednesday, January 7, 2026

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Stock Comparison

Mastercard Incorporated vs Sea Limited

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

Mastercard Incorporated

MA · New York Stock Exchange

Market cap (USD)$510.6B
Gross margin (TTM)77.5%
Operating margin (TTM)57%
Net margin (TTM)45.3%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Credit Services
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-21
Moat score
77/ 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 Mastercard Incorporated's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MA 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: Mastercard Incorporated leads (77 / 100 vs 69 / 100 for Sea Limited).
  • Segment focus: Mastercard Incorporated has 2 segments (61.5% in Payment Network); Sea Limited has 3 segments (73.8% in Shopee (E-commerce)).
  • Moat breadth: Mastercard Incorporated has 6 moat types across 3 domains; Sea Limited has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Mastercard Incorporated

Payment Network

Market

Four-party card payment network (switching, acceptance, and network-related services)

Geography

Global

Customer

Issuers, acquirers, merchants, account holders

Role

Network operator (authorization, clearing, settlement) and rules/standards steward

Revenue share

61.5%

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

Mastercard Incorporated
Sea Limited
Ticker / Exchange
MA - New York Stock Exchange
SE - New York Stock Exchange
Market cap (USD)
$510.6B
$82.8B
Gross margin (TTM)
77.5%
44.9%
Operating margin (TTM)
57%
8.2%
Net margin (TTM)
45.3%
6.8%
Sector
Financials
Consumer
Industry
Financial - Credit Services
Specialty Retail
HQ country
US
SG
Primary segment
Payment Network
Shopee (E-commerce)
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
29.7% (reported)
52% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
77 / 100
69 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Demand, Legal
Network, Supply, Legal
Last update
2025-12-21
2026-01-06

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkRegulated Standards Pipe

Mastercard Incorporated strengths

Clearing SettlementBrand TrustData Network EffectsData Workflow Lockin

Sea Limited strengths

Distribution ControlEcosystem ComplementsDirect Network EffectsContractual Exclusivity

Segment mix

Mastercard Incorporated segments

Full profile >

Payment Network

Oligopoly

61.5%

Value-Added Services and Solutions

Competitive

38.5%

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?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

View the moat stocks list

Looking for expansion-stage stocks?

Proven models entering the expansion stage with unit economics that work.

View expansion-stage stocks

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.