Coupang is often called the “Amazon of South Korea,” but that comparison doesn’t fully capture what makes the company tick. Founded in 2010, Coupang has built an end-to-end e-commerce ecosystem that handles everything from warehousing and logistics to last-mile delivery with its own fleet of drivers.
The company’s signature feature is Rocket Delivery, which guarantees next-day or even same-day delivery on millions of items — with no minimum order. Orders placed before midnight arrive by 7 AM the next morning, a speed that’s become the baseline expectation for Korean online shoppers. Coupang achieves this by operating over 100 fulfillment and logistics centers across South Korea.
Coupang went public on the NYSE in 2021 in one of the largest US IPOs by an Asian company, raising $4.6 billion. The stock gave the company a valuation exceeding $60 billion at its peak. It turned its first annual profit in 2023 after years of investing in infrastructure.
Beyond retail, Coupang has expanded into grocery delivery (Rocket Fresh), food delivery (Coupang Eats), and video streaming (Coupang Play). The company also runs Coupang Fulfillment Services, allowing third-party sellers to tap into its logistics network.
With over 20 million active customers in a country of 52 million, Coupang’s market penetration is staggering. The company has started expanding into Taiwan and Japan, testing whether its vertically integrated model can work beyond its home market.
