SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance’s latest technology ranking, the brand value of Samsung Group increased to US$97.4 billion in 2026. This represents an 8.9% rise from US$89.4 billion in 2025. Samsung took the eighth spot among the world’s most valuable tech brands, slipping one position from the previous year. It remains the sole South Korean brand in the top 10 globally. The ranking places Samsung alongside the biggest 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 positions. Nvidia advanced to fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. This surge pushed Samsung down one rank despite its higher valuation. US firms continued to dominate most of the ranking’s overall value.
South Korea featured five technology brands in the global list, with a combined brand value of US$135.3 billion, reflecting an 8% increase from 2025. This placed South Korea third behind the US and China. SK hynix was ranked 28th with a valuation of US$15.8 billion. LG came in 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang reached US$8.8 billion, and Naver was positioned at 95th with a value of US$3.7 billion.
Semiconductor segment bolsters Samsung’s brand worth
Brand Finance attributed Samsung’s brand growth partly to its leadership in memory chips and semiconductors. The study also highlighted the increasing demand for advanced memory solutions. Samsung’s operations span smartphones, TVs, home appliances, semiconductors, and digital services, securing its presence across both consumer and enterprise technology markets. The US$97.4 billion valuation reflects the brand’s economic value alone and does not equate to Samsung’s market capitalization, annual revenue, or physical assets.
The valuation employs a royalty relief approach, analyzing marketing investments, consumer perceptions, and business performance to gauge brand strength. Analysts then apply a royalty rate to forecasted brand-related revenue, discounting after-tax earnings to determine present value. This methodology adheres to the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation, estimating the potential earnings from licensing the brand in an open-market scenario.
Technology sector remains heavily concentrated
Seven of the top 10 positions in the broader Global 500 ranking are occupied by technology firms. Apple continues to lead as the most valuable brand worldwide, with Microsoft in second place. The Technology 100 also experienced notable gains among chipmakers and AI infrastructure companies, with Nvidia at the forefront, followed by Broadcom and AMD as the fastest-growing brands. Combined, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon account for nearly 70% of the total value of the Technology 100.
Samsung contributed approximately 72% to the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked tech brands, with its US$97.4 billion valuation surpassing their total of US$37.9 billion. The other brands include SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place position continues to be the main contributor to South Korea’s third-place national ranking. The 2026 results also show an ongoing rise in Samsung’s brand value, despite its global ranking slipping by one spot.