SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – Samsung Group’s brand value climbed to US$97.4 billion in 2026, according to Brand Finance’s latest technology ranking. The total increased 8.9% from US$89.4 billion in 2025. Samsung placed eighth among the world’s most valuable technology brands, one position lower than last year. It remained the only South Korean brand in the global top 10. The ranking kept Samsung alongside the largest names in the international technology sector.
The combined value of the top 100 technology brands rose 15% to US$3.7 trillion. Their total stood at US$3.2 trillion a year earlier. Apple, Microsoft and Google retained the first three positions. Nvidia moved into fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. That increase pushed Samsung down one position despite its higher valuation. US companies continued to account for most of the ranking’s total value.
South Korea placed five technology brands in the global table. Their combined brand value reached US$135.3 billion, an increase of 8% from 2025. The figure ranked South Korea third behind the US and China. SK hynix took 28th place with a value of US$15.8 billion. LG ranked 44th at US$9.6 billion. Coupang reached US$8.8 billion, while Naver placed 95th with a value of US$3.7 billion.
Chip business supports Samsung brand value
Brand Finance cited Samsung’s position in memory chips and semiconductors when assessing the brand’s increase. The report also noted demand for advanced memory products. Samsung operates across smartphones, televisions, home appliances, semiconductors and digital services. That range gives the brand a presence in consumer and business technology markets. The US$97.4 billion estimate covers the economic value of the brand itself. It does not represent Samsung’s market value, annual sales or physical assets.
The consultancy calculates brand value through a royalty relief method. It reviews marketing investment, customer perceptions and business performance before assigning a brand strength score. Analysts then apply a royalty rate to projected brand-related revenue. They discount the resulting after-tax earnings to calculate present value. The process follows the ISO 10668 standard for monetary brand valuation. It estimates what a company could gain by licensing its brand through an open-market agreement.
Global technology rankings remain concentrated
Technology companies held seven positions in the top 10 of the broader Global 500 ranking. Apple remained the world’s most valuable brand, while Microsoft ranked second. The Technology 100 also recorded sharp gains among chipmakers and artificial intelligence infrastructure companies. Nvidia led that group, followed by Broadcom and AMD among the fastest-growing technology brands. Apple, Microsoft, Google and Amazon together represented nearly 70% of the Technology 100’s total value.
Samsung contributed about 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands. Its US$97.4 billion valuation exceeded their combined US$37.9 billion total. Those brands were SK hynix, LG, Coupang and Naver. Samsung’s eighth-place position remained the main component of South Korea’s third-place national ranking. The 2026 results also marked another annual increase in Samsung’s assessed brand value, even as its position in the global table declined by one place.