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. Samsung ranked eighth among the world’s most valuable tech brands, one position below last year. It continues to be the sole South Korean brand in the top 10 globally. The list positions Samsung alongside the leading names in the international technology industry.
The aggregate worth of the top 100 technology brands grew by 15% to reach US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion a year earlier. Apple, Microsoft, and Google maintained their top three spots. Nvidia advanced to fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. Despite Samsung’s higher valuation, this increase caused it to slip one position in the ranking. US firms still dominate most of the total value within the top 100.
South Korea has five technology brands represented in the global list, 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 ranks 28th with a valuation of US$15.8 billion, while LG is 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang reached US$8.8 billion, and Naver is 95th with a value of US$3.7 billion.
Semiconductor division bolsters Samsung’s brand value
Brand Finance highlighted Samsung’s leadership in memory chips and semiconductors as a key factor behind the brand’s growth. The report also pointed out the rising demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s diverse operations span smartphones, TVs, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, granting the brand a foothold in both consumer and enterprise technology markets. The US$97.4 billion valuation reflects the economic worth of the brand alone, not Samsung’s market capitalization, annual revenue, or physical assets.
The valuation methodology employed by Brand Finance uses a royalty relief approach. It considers marketing investments, customer perceptions, and business performance before assigning a brand strength score. Then, analysts apply a royalty rate to projected brand-related revenue, discounting the after-tax earnings to determine current value. This process aligns with the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation, estimating the potential income from licensing the brand via an open-market agreement.
Dominance persists in global tech rankings
Within the broader Global 500 ranking, seven of the top 10 positions were held by technology firms. Apple maintained its status as the world’s most valuable brand, with Microsoft in second place. The Technology 100 also showed significant growth among chipmakers and AI infrastructure providers, led by Nvidia, with Broadcom and AMD among the fastest-growing brands. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon accounted for nearly 70% of the total value of the Technology 100.
Samsung contributed approximately 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked tech brands. Its US$97.4 billion valuation far exceeded their collective US$37.9 billion total. These brands include SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place position remains a key element of South Korea’s third-place national ranking. The 2026 results also show a continued annual increase in Samsung’s brand value, despite its global ranking slipping by one spot.