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 the previous year. Samsung secured the eighth spot among the world’s most valuable technology brands, dropping one position from 2025. It remains the sole South Korean brand in the sector’s global top 10. This outcome maintains Samsung’s position within a group largely led by major US technology corporations.
The report assessed the top 100 technology brands worldwide at a combined value of US$3.7 trillion, reflecting a 15% growth from US$3.2 trillion in 2025. US-based brands accounted for more than 75% of this total, with 46 companies on the list. Apple, Microsoft, and Google occupied the top three positions. Nvidia moved up three spots to fifth after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. Despite Samsung’s increased valuation, Nvidia’s rise caused Samsung to fall one place in the ranking.
South Korea’s five leading technology brands combined for a valuation of US$135.3 billion, up 8% from the previous year. This sum placed South Korea third globally, behind the US and China. SK hynix experienced a 15% increase, reaching US$15.8 billion and ranking 28th. LG declined 9% to US$9.6 billion, placing 44th. Naver grew by 11% to US$3.7 billion, while Coupang saw a 10% rise to US$8.8 billion.
Semiconductors Drive Brand Valuation
Brand Finance attributed Samsung’s growth to its strong position in memory chips and semiconductors. The report also highlighted demand for advanced memory products as a contributing factor to the brand’s valuation. Samsung’s operations span semiconductors, smartphones, televisions, home appliances, and digital services, giving it a presence across both consumer and enterprise technology markets. The $97.4 billion valuation reflects the worth of the Samsung brand itself, not the company’s market capitalization, revenues, or physical assets.
Brand Finance applies a royalty relief methodology aligned with the ISO 10668 valuation standard. The process begins with evaluating marketing investments, stakeholder equity, and overall business performance. A royalty rate is then determined based on the brand’s strength and the industry context. This rate is used to project potential brand-related revenue, which is then discounted to present value after-tax earnings. The result indicates the economic benefit a company could achieve through licensing its brand in the open market.
Technology Sector Leads Global Brand Rankings
In 2026, technology firms continued to dominate the global brand rankings. Seven of the top 10 brands in the Brand Finance Global 500 were from the technology sector. Apple maintained its position as the most valuable brand worldwide, with Microsoft ranking second. The Technology 100 also saw significant growth among artificial intelligence infrastructure and semiconductor companies. Broadcom and AMD followed Nvidia as the fastest-growing technology brands. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon accounted for nearly 70% of the total value within this ranking.
Samsung represented approximately 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands. Its valuation of US$97.4 billion surpassed the total US$37.9 billion value of SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver. Samsung’s prominent position within the top 10 remained crucial to South Korea’s third-place standing globally in terms of technology brand value. Despite dropping one place in the overall global technology ranking, Samsung’s valuation in 2026 continued to grow annually.