SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance’s newest technology ranking, Samsung Group’s brand worth increased to US$97.4 billion in 2026. This marks an 8.9% rise from US$89.4 billion in 2025. Samsung was ranked eighth among the globe’s most valuable tech brands, dropping one position from the previous year. It continues to be the sole South Korean brand in the top 10 worldwide. This ranking maintains Samsung’s status alongside the leading names in the global technology industry.
The aggregate value of the top 100 technology brands grew 15% to reach US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion in the prior year. Apple, Microsoft, and Google maintained their positions as the top three brands. Nvidia advanced to fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion, which contributed to Samsung slipping one spot despite its higher valuation. US-based companies still dominate the overall ranking’s total worth.
South Korea features five brands in the global list, with their combined valuation reaching US$135.3 billion, reflecting an 8% increase from 2025. This places South Korea third behind the US and China. SK hynix secured 28th place with a brand value of US$15.8 billion. LG was ranked 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang achieved US$8.8 billion, while Naver was listed at 95th with a valuation of US$3.7 billion.
Chip Industry Bolsters Samsung’s Brand Equity
Brand Finance highlighted Samsung’s leadership in memory chips and semiconductors as a key factor in its brand value growth. The report also emphasized the rising demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s operations span smartphones, televisions, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, giving the brand a broad footprint across consumer and corporate technology sectors. The US$97.4 billion figure reflects the brand’s economic worth but does not represent Samsung’s market capitalization, annual revenue, or physical assets.
The valuation is derived using a royalty relief approach, which assesses marketing spend, consumer perception, and business performance to determine a brand strength score. Analysts then apply a royalty rate to forecasted brand-related revenue and discount the after-tax earnings to arrive at a present value. This method aligns with the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation, estimating the potential earnings from licensing the brand in an open-market context.
Concentration in Global Tech Rankings Persists
Seven of the top 10 positions in the broader Global 500 ranking are occupied by technology firms. Apple remains the world’s most valuable brand, with Microsoft in second place. The Technology 100 also shows significant gains among chipmakers and AI infrastructure companies, led by Nvidia, followed by Broadcom and AMD among the fastest-growing tech brands. Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon together account for nearly 70% of the Technology 100’s total valuation.
Samsung’s US$97.4 billion valuation makes up approximately 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands, which total US$37.9 billion. These brands include SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place ranking remains a key element in South Korea’s third-place national position. The 2026 results also show a consistent rise in Samsung’s brand value, even though its global ranking fell by one spot.