Many a sinister conspiracy theory exists with regard to the true rulers of our world, but did you know that ownership of most of it can actually be traced to just FOUR huge corporations that you’re likely to have never even heard of?
People are slowly catching on to the fact that the world is controlled by perhaps 12 families, with the likes of the Rockefellers, Rothschilds, and Lehmans often touted as having dominion over huge, covert empires whose true wealth and influence is expertly shielded from prying eyes.

So who actually owns the world? As always when it comes to such overarching questions, we need to follow the money. That involves looking at inventory, specifically at the world’s largest banks to establish who the shareholders are and thus who really calls the shots:
Bank of America Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR (Fidelity), Paulson, JP Morgan, T. Rowe, Capital World Investors, AXA, Bank of NY Mellon.
JP Morgan Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR, T. Rowe, AXA, Capital World Investor, Capital Research Global Investor, Northern Trust Corp. and Bank of NY Mellon.
Citigroup Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR, Paulson, Capital World Investor, JP Morgan, Northern Trust Corporation, Fairhome Capital Mgmt. and Bank of NY Mellon.
Wells Fargo Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR, Berkshire Hathaway, Capital World Investors, Wellington Mgmt, AXA, T. Rowe and Davis Selected Advisers.
Goldman Sachs Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR, Wellington, Capital World Investors, AXA, Massachusetts Financial Service and T. Rowe.
Morgan Stanley Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR, Mitsubishi UFJ, Franklin Resources, AXA, T. Rowe, Bank of NY Mellon e Jennison Associates. Rowe, Bank of NY Mellon and Jennison Associates.
Bank of NY Mellon Shareholders
State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, FMR, Davis Selected, Massachusetts Financial Services, Capital Research Global Investor, Dodge, Cox, Southeastern Asset Management.
As you can see, the pattern goes on and on. The upshot of all this is that the eight largest financial companies in the United States are controlled by just TEN shareholders with FOUR companies involved in every single decision that’s made. That’s without mentioning dealings in tax havens such as the Cayman Islands, Monaco or Liechtenstein.
Even more shocking is the fact that the US Federal Reserve is comprised of 12 banks represented by seven board members, some of whom are representatives of the “big four”. In other words, State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and FMR have a controlling influence on US monetary policy without oversight or democratic safeguards to speak of.

Here is a list of some of the companies controlled by the “big four”:
• Alcoa Inc.
• Altria Group Inc.
• American International Group Inc.
• AT&T Inc.
• Boeing Co.
• Caterpillar Inc.
• Coca-Cola Co.
• DuPont & Co.
• Exxon Mobil Corp.
• General Electric Co.
• General Motors Corporation
• Hewlett-Packard Co.
• Home Depot Inc.
• Honeywell International Inc.
• Intel Corp.
• International Business Machines Corp
• Johnson & Johnson
• JP Morgan Chase & Co.
• McDonald’s Corp.
• Merck & Co. Inc.
• Microsoft Corp.
• 3M Co.
• Pfizer Inc.
• Procter & Gamble Co.
• United Technologies Corp.
• Verizon Communications Inc.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
• Time Warner
• Walt Disney
• Viacom
• Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation
• CBS Corporation
• NBC Universal

The “big four” also happen to control the vast majority of European companies listed on the US stock exchange, and also have an influence over the largest financial institutions in the world such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. It goes without saying that the names of the families that control State Street Corporation, Vanguard Group, BlackRock and FMR never appear anywhere.
Images by Deposit Photos.
Step by Step: Learn 36 Interesting Facts About Walking
What are the benefits of speed walking and how long would it take to walk around the planet? Learn this and much more now!
Beware! NEVER Put These Things on Your Credit Card
Credit cards might be convenient but there are some cases where you should avoid using them.
5:03
Is It Possible to Power the Whole World with Just WIND?
IS it possible to create a world powered entirely by the wind? In this fascinating video, you will take a deep dive into the science of wind turbine technology...
5:20
Understanding How to Decode Your Credit Card Number
Ever wondered what those 16 digits on the front of your credit card mean? Let's find out...
Remember the Things that Defined the 1950s?
The 1950s marked the beginning of the postwar era, increased prosperity and drastic changes to everyday life. Here are 10 things that defined the 1950s.
Autopay Has Its Benefits, but Be a Little Wary of It Too
Automatic payments may be convenient but they have a few risks too.
How Much Influence Do Secret Societies Have? Find Out Here
Learn all about six of the most famous secret societies that seem to have quite a degree of influence even today.
13 Unusual Facts You Didn’t Know You Needed to Learn Today
It's time for another cool collection of fascinating facts!
8 Books That Predicted the Future With Strange Accuracy
It always feels eerie when the future is predicted correctly and it turns out literature is full of such accurate forecasts. These 8 novels were particularly spot on.
10 of the Weirdest Things Discovered at Airport Security
Here is a collection of ten of the weirdest things that airport security officers have found when on the job.
4:29
Meet Lydian Nadhaswaram – The Piano Prodigy of India
Watch child prodigy Lydian Nadhaswaram switch between several famous movie score montages on the piano.
Famous Moments in History that Never Happened
Chances are you've accepted these nine occurrences as historical fact. But, they are actually, completely false.
A Beautiful Story About True Love and Devotion
This beautiful story gives true credence to the words: "True Love"
6:38
These Flying Shaolin Monks Are Incredible
An amazingly beautiful sight in super slow mo...
We Bet You Never Knew the Origins of These Common Idioms!
We bet you use the following 8 common idioms all the time, but have you ever stopped to take the time to think about where they came from?
19:20
You Won't Believe What This Man Built By Himself!
You won't believe what construction project got this man to work alone and complete the craziest underground cabin. Come and check it out...
8 Facts You Learned at School that Are No Longer True!
The passage of time leads things that were once accepted as facts to actually be proven as incorrect. Here are 8 supposed facts that aren’t really true.
Don’t Fall For These Popular Food Safety Myths
There are a lot of misconceptions about food safety. Here are some common ones you shouldn’t believe.
How Many of These Facts About Common Items Do You Know?
Do you know about these facts for common products?
14:52
What Are the Odds?! - 20 Creepy Historical Coincidences
These are some of the creepiest, and most spine-chilling coincidental occurrences in history...
6:24
Wow! It's Amazing What This Man Can Do On a Bike!
In this video, Danny MacAskill explores the rural landscape around Edinburgh on his trusty mountain bike. Check out some of the amazing tricks in this video.
These Everyday Optical Illusions Are Truly Mesmerizing!
Optical illusions can be found all around us, as these 15 photos well and truly prove.
10:06
This Fascinating Video Explores the Origins of Mankind
This video will explain exactly what our prehistoric ancestors used to get up to. Fascinating!
12 Unusual Ancient Currencies You Probably Never Hear Of!
With no credit cards and cash around, what did the people of the past use to buy things? It turns out that the list of objects used as ancient currencies is quite surprising!
7 Interventions of Mother Nature That Altered History
We tend to forget how much power nature has over us. These are 7 times extreme weather conditions completely changed the course of history.
10:30
Time Travel Back to the 19th Century in This Vintage Video
This amazingly rare footage gives us a peek of different parts of the world from the 19th century.
22 Words Uttered By Writers In Their Final Moments
The world's most famous writers had a way with words right up until the point of their deaths, as these 22 images are about to show you.
The Great Mothers of History: 12 Famous Mothers!
History is laden with truly heroic moms, but we've gone to the trouble of picking 12 of the most heroic of all for you. Here are 12 of the best moms in history.
10 Words We Use Every Day That Shakespeare Made Popular
Shakespeare is believed to have invented 1,700 words, but these 10 should be taken off the list, as he didn't invent, but popularized them.
A Few Beautiful Thoughts About True Friendship...
We should never forget the gift that is true friendship...
7:56
The People We Said Goodbye to This Year of 2025
As we close the chapter on 2025, we pause to remember the extraordinary individuals who left us this year.
Did You Know These Vintage Items Might Be Worth Something?
Did you know that there are certain items in your home that might just be worth something? Take a look at these 12 vintage items that may be valuable.
6:48
Saffron - the Most Expensive Spice on Earth
Most of us can't even get our hands of this rare and expensive spice - saffron. But why is it so exclusive and pricey to begin with? Find out here
10:42
Meet the 10 Most Dangerous Creatures from the Greek Myths
Greek mythology is filled with some truly fascinating and terrifying creatures. Get to know more about a few of them.
When an Ancient Egyptian Tomb Was Opened, This Was Inside
Finding Tutankhamun's tomb was one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in history. These recolored photos capture those incredible days.
Do You Know the Truth About These Famous Figures?
Hollywood exaggerates and distorts many historical truths with its movies, but now you're about to find out the truth about some important figures...
These Wonderful Shots Are From Many Special Times Gone By
Nostalgia can be a beautiful thing, and these beautiful black and white images reinforce that notion. Jump back into the past with these shots.
Ukrainian-Russian War: A review of 2024's impact in the War
The year 2024 saw the Russia-Ukraine war grind on into a second full year, marked by intense fighting on multiple fronts, high-stakes diplomatic initiatives, and a worsening humanitarian toll.
8 Most Expensive Auction Items Sold in the Last Decade
This article explores the seven most expensive items sold at auction between 2015 and 2025
14:14
History Lesson: The Armored War Elephants of Ancient India
Elephants in ancient Indian history played a crucial part in warfare. Find out more about their fascinating history...
You Don't See a Lot of Vintage Portraits Like These...
In this post we will give you a swift glimpse of the portrait collection of one of the leading photographers of 19th-century Washington.
3:34
Inspiring: 80-Year-Old Holds Guinness Record for Planking!
Meet Annie Judis, the 80-year-old who became the oldest person to hold an abdominal plank earlier this year.
Collection: The Greatest Moments in History
A collection of fascinating, sometimes controversial and surprising stories from the annals of history. Explore and learn about the fascinating past of humanity and some of its most outstanding figures.
Remember Mr. Rogers? He Left Us With Many Great Quotes
Fred Rogers was a beloved children's television star during his life, but he was also an incredibly insightful & smart man. Here are 20 of his greatest quotes.
17 Terrific Charts to Expand Your General Knowledge
We have a treat for all lifelong learners. It’s a list of 17 charts that will enrich your knowledge in geography, nutrition, linguistics & anything in-between!
Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills with These Great Tips
If you want to improve your critical thinking skills then you should take a look at these fantastic tips.
26:07
These Kids Proved They’re the Smartest in the World!
Get ready to meet some of the most impressive young minds to hit the Got Talent stage.
To enable your Ad-Free Subscription, please fill the fields below
Your subscription was successful, now you can enjoy an ad-free experience!! Note: To make sure you get no ads, please make sure to log in to your account. If you are logged in already, then refresh the page. The subscription can be cancelled at any time.