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 secured the eighth position among the world’s most valuable technology brands, dropping one spot from the previous year. It remains the only South Korean brand within the top 10 globally. This ranking continues to place Samsung among the biggest names in the international tech industry.
The aggregate value of the top 100 technology brands grew by 15% to reach US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion a year earlier. The top three spots were held by Apple, Microsoft, and Google. Nvidia moved into fifth position after its brand worth more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. This increase caused Samsung to slip one place despite its higher valuation. US-based companies continued to dominate the total value of the ranking.
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 was ranked 28th with a brand value of US$15.8 billion. LG came in at 44th with US$9.6 billion. Coupang reached US$8.8 billion, and Naver was positioned at 95th with a valuation of US$3.7 billion.
Semiconductors and memory chips bolster Samsung’s brand valuation
Brand Finance highlighted Samsung’s leadership in memory chips and semiconductors as a key factor in the brand’s growth. The report also pointed out the 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 reflects the economic value of the brand alone, not its market capitalization, sales, or physical assets.
The valuation uses a royalty relief approach, examining factors such as marketing spend, consumer perception, and business performance to determine brand strength. Analysts apply a royalty rate to forecasted revenue associated with the brand, then discount the after-tax earnings to arrive at a present value. This methodology adheres to ISO 10668 standards for monetary brand valuation and estimates potential licensing earnings in an open-market scenario.
Tech industry remains highly concentrated at the top
In the broader Global 500 ranking, seven of the top 10 positions are occupied by technology firms. Apple continues to be the world’s most valuable brand, with Microsoft ranking second. The Technology 100 also shows significant growth among chipmakers and AI infrastructure providers, with Nvidia leading that segment, followed by Broadcom and AMD among the fastest-growing brands. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon account for nearly 70% of the total value of the Technology 100.
Samsung accounts for approximately 72% of the combined valuation of South Korea’s five top-ranked tech brands. Its US$97.4 billion valuation surpasses their total of US$37.9 billion. The other four brands are SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place ranking remains a key component of South Korea’s third-place national standing. The 2026 results also demonstrate a yearly increase in Samsung’s brand value, despite slipping one position in the global ranking.