SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – The brand value of Samsung Group’s was estimated at US$97.4 billion in 2026, according to Brand Finance. This represents an increase of 8.9% from US$89.4 billion recorded the previous year. Samsung secured the eighth spot among the world’s most valuable technology brands, slipping one position from 2025. It continues to be the sole South Korean brand within the sector’s top 10 globally. This outcome maintains Samsung’s position within a group largely composed of major US technology corporations.
The analysis valued the leading 100 global technology brands at a total of US$3.7 trillion, marking a 15% rise from US$3.2 trillion in 2025. US-based companies accounted for over 75% of this total, with 46 firms featured in the list. Apple, Microsoft, and Google held the top three rankings. Nvidia advanced three places to fifth after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. Despite Samsung’s increased valuation, its ranking dropped one position as a result of Nvidia’s rise.
South Korea’s five top-ranked technology brands had a combined worth of US$135.3 billion, reflecting an 8% increase from the previous year. This sum placed South Korea third globally, behind 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 valuation rose 11% to US$3.7 billion, while Coupang increased 10% to US$8.8 billion.
Semiconductors Drive Brand Value Growth
Brand Finance attributed Samsung’s valuation growth to its leadership in memory chips and semiconductors. The report highlighted the demand for advanced memory products as a key factor supporting this valuation. Samsung operates in various sectors including semiconductors, smartphones, televisions, home appliances, and digital services. These diverse businesses give the brand a significant presence across both consumer and enterprise technology markets. It’s important to note that the US$97.4 billion figure pertains specifically to the Samsung technology brand, not the company’s market capitalization, revenue, or physical assets.
Brand Finance employs a royalty relief valuation method aligned with the ISO 10668 standard. This approach begins with evaluating marketing investments, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Analysts then determine a royalty rate based on the brand’s strength and industry context. This rate is applied to project potential brand-related revenue, and after-tax earnings are discounted to their present value. The resulting estimate reflects the economic benefit the company could realize through licensing its brand in the open market.
Technology Sector Continues to Lead Global Brand Rankings
In 2026, technology firms maintained their dominance in the broader global brand rankings. Seven of the top 10 most valuable brands in the Brand Finance Global 500 originated from the technology industry. Apple remained the most valuable brand worldwide, with Microsoft claiming the second spot. The Technology 100 also showed strong growth among AI infrastructure and semiconductor companies, with Broadcom and AMD ranking as some of the fastest-growing technology brands after Nvidia. Collectively, Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon 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 valuation of US$97.4 billion surpassed the combined worth of SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver, which totaled US$37.9 billion. Samsung’s top-10 ranking remains a key element of South Korea’s third-place position in the global technology brand value rankings. Even as Samsung moved down one position in the overall global technology ranking for 2026, its valuation continued to grow annually.