SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance’s latest technology ranking, Samsung Group’s brand valuation climbed to US$97.4 billion in 2026. This represents an 8.9% increase from US$89.4 billion in 2025. Samsung secured the eighth position among the world’s most valuable tech brands, dropping one spot from the previous year. It remains the sole South Korean brand in the top 10 globally. The ranking continues to position Samsung alongside the leading names in the international technology industry.
The aggregate worth of the top 100 technology brands surged by 15% to US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion a year earlier. Apple, Microsoft and Google maintained their top three standings. Nvidia advanced to fifth place after its brand value more than doubled, reaching US$184.3 billion. This growth caused Samsung to slip one position despite its higher valuation. American companies continued to dominate the overall ranking’s total value.
In South Korea, five technology brands made it into the global ranking. Their combined brand value reached US$135.3 billion, marking an 8% increase from 2025. This placed South Korea third behind the US and China. SK hynix ranked 28th with a valuation of US$15.8 billion. LG was 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang’s brand was valued at US$8.8 billion, and Naver held the 95th spot with US$3.7 billion.
Semiconductor segment bolsters Samsung’s brand valuation
Brand Finance highlighted Samsung’s leadership in memory chips and semiconductors as a key driver behind its brand value increase. The report also pointed out the rising demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s portfolio spans smartphones, televisions, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, giving it a presence in both consumer and enterprise technology sectors. The US$97.4 billion figure reflects the economic worth of the brand itself, not the company’s market capitalization, annual sales, or physical assets.
The valuation is derived using a royalty relief approach. This involves assessing marketing investments, customer perception, and business performance to determine a brand strength score. Subsequently, a royalty rate is applied to forecasted brand-related revenue. The resulting after-tax earnings are discounted to arrive at a present value, following the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation. This method estimates the potential earnings a company could generate by licensing its brand via an open-market agreement.
Concentration persists in global tech rankings
Seven positions within the top 10 of 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 saw significant gains among chip manufacturers and AI infrastructure providers. Nvidia led this segment, followed by Broadcom and AMD as some of the fastest-growing tech brands. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon account for nearly 70% of the total value of the Technology 100.
Samsung contributed approximately 72% of the combined valuation of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands. Its US$97.4 billion valuation surpasses their combined US$37.9 billion total. The other brands include SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place standing continues to be a key component of South Korea’s third-place national ranking. The 2026 results also show a further annual increase in Samsung’s brand value, even as its global position dropped by one spot.