SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance, the value of Samsung Group’s brand reached US$97.4 billion in 2026. This represents an 8.9% increase from US$89.4 billion a year earlier. Samsung secured the eighth spot among the world’s most valuable technology brands, dropping one position from 2025. It remains the only South Korean brand within the top 10 global technology brands. This outcome maintains Samsung’s position within a group predominantly led by leading US tech giants.
The report evaluated the top 100 technology brands worldwide at a combined worth of US$3.7 trillion, marking a 15% rise from US$3.2 trillion in 2025. US-based companies made up more than 75% of this total, with 46 firms included in the list. Apple, Microsoft, and Google held the first three positions. Nvidia moved up three places to fifth after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. Despite Samsung’s valuation increasing, its rank fell by one position due to Nvidia’s rapid growth.
South Korea’s five top-ranked technology brands combined were valued at US$135.3 billion, an 8% increase from the previous year. This placed South Korea third globally, after the US and China. SK hynix experienced a 15% growth to US$15.8 billion, ranking 28th. LG’s valuation declined by 9% to US$9.6 billion, placing it at 44th. Naver’s value grew by 11% to US$3.7 billion, and Coupang’s increased by 10% to US$8.8 billion.
Semiconductors bolster brand valuation
Brand Finance attributed Samsung’s growth to its leadership in memory chips and semiconductors. The report highlighted strong demand for advanced memory solutions as a key factor supporting its valuation. Samsung’s operations span semiconductors, smartphones, televisions, home appliances, and digital services, giving it a broad footprint across consumer and enterprise technology markets. The US$97.4 billion valuation refers specifically to the Samsung technology brand, not to the company’s market capitalization, revenue, or physical assets.
Brand Finance applies a royalty relief methodology aligned with ISO 10668 standards. The process involves evaluating marketing investments, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Analysts then determine a royalty rate based on brand strength and industry specifics. This rate is used to project brand-related revenue and discount future earnings to present value. The resulting estimate reflects the potential economic benefit of licensing the brand on the open market.
Tech sector leads global brand rankings
In 2026, technology firms continued to dominate the broader global brand rankings. Seven of the top 10 brands in the Brand Finance Global 500 were from the tech industry. Apple maintained its position as the most valuable brand worldwide, with Microsoft ranking second. The Technology 100 also saw notable growth among artificial intelligence infrastructure and semiconductor companies, with Broadcom and AMD among the fastest-growing tech brands alongside Nvidia. Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon together accounted for nearly 70% of the total value in the ranking.
Samsung represented approximately 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands. Its US$97.4 billion valuation surpassed the total US$37.9 billion of SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver combined. Samsung’s position in the top 10 remained central to South Korea’s third-place ranking in global technology brand value. The 2026 rankings showed Samsung’s valuation increased again, even though it dropped one place in the global technology list.