SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – According to Brand Finance, the brand value of Samsung Group hit US$97.4 billion in 2026. This represents an 8.9% increase from US$89.4 billion recorded the previous year. Samsung secured the eighth spot among the world’s most valuable technology brands, dropping one place from 2025. It remains the sole South Korean brand within the top 10 globally in the tech sector. This outcome maintains Samsung’s position in a landscape primarily led by major US technology corporations.
The report assessed the value of the top 100 global technology brands at US$3.7 trillion, marking a 15% rise from US$3.2 trillion in 2025. US-based brands accounted for over 75% of this total, with 46 companies listed. Apple, Microsoft, and Google occupied the top three spots. Nvidia advanced three positions to fifth place after its brand value more than doubled to US$184.3 billion. Despite Samsung’s increased valuation, its ranking fell by one position due to Nvidia’s rapid growth.
South Korea’s five leading tech brands combined are valued at US$135.3 billion, up 8% from the previous year. This sum places South Korea third globally, behind the US and China. SK hynix increased its valuation by 15% to US$15.8 billion, ranking 28th. LG’s value declined by 9% to US$9.6 billion, placing it at 44th. Naver grew 11% to US$3.7 billion, while Coupang saw a 10% rise to US$8.8 billion.
Semiconductor Sector Boosts Brand Valuation
Brand Finance attributes Samsung’s growth to its strong position in memory chips and semiconductors. The report also highlighted demand for cutting-edge memory products as a key factor supporting the brand’s valuation. Samsung operates across multiple sectors including semiconductors, smartphones, televisions, home appliances, and digital services. These diverse areas give Samsung a foothold in both consumer and enterprise technology markets. The US$97.4 billion valuation reflects the worth of the Samsung technology brand itself, not the company’s market capitalization, revenue, or physical assets.
Brand Finance applies a royalty relief valuation method aligned with the ISO 10668 standard. The process begins with evaluating marketing investments, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Analysts then determine a royalty rate based on brand strength and industry context. This rate is applied to project future brand-related revenue and discounted to present value, factoring in after-tax earnings. The resulting estimate indicates the economic benefit a company could gain by licensing its brand on the open market.
Technology Brands Continue to Lead Global Rankings
In 2026, technology firms remained dominant in the broader global brand rankings. Seven of the top 10 brands in the Brand Finance Global 500 are from the tech industry. Apple held onto its position as the world’s most valuable brand, with Microsoft ranked second. The Technology 100 also saw strong growth among artificial intelligence infrastructure and semiconductor companies, with Broadcom and AMD among the fastest-growing tech brands after Nvidia. Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon together account for nearly 70% of the total value within the ranking.
Samsung’s valuation makes up approximately 72% of the combined value of South Korea’s five ranked technology brands. Its US$97.4 billion valuation surpasses the total US$37.9 billion value of SK hynix, LG, Coupang, and Naver combined. As a result, Samsung’s top-10 position remains crucial to South Korea’s third-place standing in global technology brand value. Despite a one-place drop in the overall global tech ranking, Samsung continued to see an annual increase in its valuation in 2026.