Apple leads global brands, Samsung tops Asia at fifth spot

Apple retained its No. 1 position in Interbrand's "Best Global Brands" list, followed by Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Samsung, which secured fifth place as the highest-ranking Asian company. Samsung Electronics’ brand value reached USD 90.5 billion, marking the sixth consecutive year it has remained in the global top five.

Interbrand evaluates corporate brand value annually by analyzing financial performance, consumer influence, and overall brand competitiveness. Samsung’s sustained success is attributed to its robust AI capabilities across business divisions, AI-powered home experience ecosystem, substantial investments in AI semiconductors, and customer-focused branding strategies.

Lee Won-jin, head of global marketing at Samsung Electronics, said, “Samsung is committed to ensuring that more customers can experience AI in their everyday lives through open collaboration and continuous innovation. We aim to deliver diverse value in areas like health and safety and evolve into a brand loved by even more people.”

Among other Korean companies, Hyundai Motor ranked 30th with a brand value of USD 24.6 billion, marking the second-highest Korean position. The automaker has featured in the global top 100 since 2005, with its brand value growing for 16 consecutive years since 2010. Interbrand noted that Hyundai’s expansion of electric and hybrid vehicle lineups, combined with region-specific marketing strategies, has strengthened its presence in the U.S., Europe, and emerging markets. Kia also featured in the top 100, placing 89th.

Japanese companies Toyota, Sony, Uniqlo, and Nintendo ranked sixth, 34th, 47th, and 53rd, respectively. Chinese firms Xiaomi, BYD, and Huawei made the list at 81st, 90th, and 96th. NVIDIA, the AI semiconductor giant, saw a notable leap from 36th last year to 15th this year.