Souq.com is an English-Arabic language e-commerce platform, often described as the Amazon of the Middle East. It is the largest e-commerce platform in the Arab world. Souq.com attracts over 24 million unique visits per month and is fast growing as more consumers shop online in the Arab world. The website was founded by Ronaldo Mouchawar in 2005 as an auction site linked to internet portal Maktoob. In 2011 Souq.com changed its model to an online shopping site similar to Amazon with a marketplace and retail items for sale on its platform. As of 2014, Souq.com had raised $150 million, the largest amount raised by any internet-based business in the Middle East. The company is backed by Tiger Global Management.