SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance’s latest technology ranking, Samsung Group’s brand value increased to US$97.4 billion in 2026. This marks an 8.9% rise from US$89.4 billion in 2025. The company placed eighth 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, maintaining its position among the biggest names in the international technology industry.
The total valuation of the top 100 technology brands grew by 15% to reach US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion last year. Apple, Microsoft, and Google maintained their top three spots. Nvidia moved into fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion, pushing Samsung down one position despite its higher valuation. US-based companies continued to dominate most of the ranking’s overall value.
South Korea has five brands in the global ranking, with a combined brand value of 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 valuation of US$15.8 billion. LG ranked 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang reached US$8.8 billion, and Naver was listed at 95th with a value of US$3.7 billion.
Semiconductor segment bolsters Samsung’s brand worth
Brand Finance highlighted Samsung’s leadership in memory chips and semiconductors as a key factor behind the brand’s growth. The report also emphasized increasing demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s operations span smartphones, televisions, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, giving the brand a strong presence in both consumer and enterprise technology markets. The US$97.4 billion figure represents the brand’s economic value alone, not its market capitalization, annual revenue, or physical assets.
The valuation is derived using a royalty relief approach, which considers marketing investments, customer perceptions, and overall business performance to determine a brand strength score. Then, analysts apply a royalty rate to forecasted brand-related revenues, discounting after-tax earnings to arrive at a present value. This methodology adheres to the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation, estimating the potential earnings from licensing the brand via an open-market agreement.
Technology sector remains heavily concentrated globally
Within the broader Global 500 ranking, seven of the top 10 positions are occupied by technology firms. Apple continues to be the most valuable brand worldwide, with Microsoft in second place. The Technology 100 has also shown significant gains among chipmakers and AI infrastructure providers, with Nvidia leading that category, followed by Broadcom and AMD as the fastest-growing 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 value of South Korea’s five top-ranked tech brands. Its valuation of US$97.4 billion surpassed their collective US$37.9 billion. These brands include SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place finish continues to be the main driver of South Korea’s third-place national ranking. The 2026 results also show another year of growth in Samsung’s brand value, despite its position in the global list slipping by one spot.