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 represents an 8.9% rise from US$89.4 billion in 2025. Samsung was ranked eighth among the most valuable global technology brands, dropping one position compared to the previous year. It remains the sole South Korean company in the top 10 worldwide. The ranking continues to position Samsung among the leading names in the global tech industry.
The aggregate worth of the top 100 technology brands grew by 15%, reaching US$3.7 trillion, up from US$3.2 trillion a year earlier. Leading the list were Apple, Microsoft, and Google, which maintained their top three spots. Nvidia leapt into fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. This surge caused Samsung to slide down one rank despite its higher valuation. U.S.-based firms continued to dominate the overall ranking’s total value.
South Korea is home to five technology brands on the global list, with a combined brand value of US$135.3 billion — an 8% increase from 2025. This placed South Korea third behind the U.S. and China. SK hynix secured 28th position with a brand value of US$15.8 billion. LG was ranked 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang’s valuation reached US$8.8 billion, while Naver was listed at 95th 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 factor in its valuation growth. The report also emphasized the rising demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s business spans smartphones, televisions, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, giving it a broad footprint in both consumer and enterprise technology markets. The US$97.4 billion figure reflects the brand’s economic worth, not the company’s market capitalization, annual revenue, or physical assets.
The valuation is derived using a royalty relief approach, which considers marketing investments, customer perceptions, and business performance to determine brand strength. Analysts then estimate a royalty rate applied to projected brand-related revenues, discounting the after-tax earnings to arrive at the present value. This method adheres to the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation, estimating the potential earnings from licensing the brand through an open-market agreement.
Concentration persists in global tech rankings
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, followed by Microsoft in second place. The Technology 100 also experienced notable growth among chipmakers and AI infrastructure providers, with Nvidia leading that segment. Broadcom and AMD are among the fastest-growing technology brands. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon constitute nearly 70% of the total value of the Technology 100.
Samsung accounts for roughly 72% of the combined valuation of South Korea’s five ranked tech brands, with a brand value of US$97.4 billion surpassing their total of US$37.9 billion. The other four brands are SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place standing remains the primary contributor to South Korea’s third-place national ranking. The 2026 results also reflect a yearly increase in Samsung’s brand value, despite its position slipping by one spot on the global list.