For the second consecutive time, Apple has once again become the world’s most valuable brand. Brand Finance, a leading brand valuation consultancy, revealed this recently in its 2025 brand valuation.
The valuation consultancy values Apple’s brand at USD574.5 billion for 2025, keeping it ahead of its closest rival, Microsoft which is valued at USD461 billion. Except for 2023, when Apple briefly trailed Amazon by a margin of just 1%, it has held the top spot as the world’s most valuable brand since 2021.
According to Brand Finance’s Global 500 2025 research, 4 out of the 5 most valuable brands in the world are technology brands:
Apple: a brand value of USD574.5 billion, up 11% from 2024; Microsoft: brand value of USD461.1 billion, up 35%; Google: brand value of USD413.0 billion, up 24%; Amazon: brand value of USD356.4 billion, up 15% and Walmart: brand value of USD137.2 billion, up 42%.
Brand Finance also analysed what brands have grown the most since 2020. While technology is clearly a high-growth sector over the longer term, the depth of Brand Finance data and research provides a revealing and nuanced view. The analysis includes TikTok – although Brand Finance began valuing the brand in 2022, its 79% growth in 4 years puts it in the same league as the other high-growth brands.
American gambling brands DraftKings and Fanduel are cashing in as U.S. legislators and courts legalise online gambling and overturn old laws preventing betting. Semiconductor brands NVIDIA, AMD, and TSMC advance new technologies, while tech giants Apple and Microsoft lead from the front, continuing to innovate from their dominant positions in an evolving and growing market.
Commenting on the brand valuation, David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance said, “Our analysis of what brands have grown the most since 2020 reveals that technology companies do not have a monopoly on sustained brand growth. This longer-term view also reinforces another important global trend: how Chinese brands like TikTok, Pinduoduo, and BYD are leading the charge by creating value and challenging established brand leaders. As China continues to refine its brand-building strategies and focus on quality, we expect to see more Chinese companies enter the global marketplace in 2025.”
Although these brands grew in different ways, generally speaking, their paths over the past five years have been organic and linear. None of the ten brands with the biggest value growth belong to the sector that has added the most value since 2020: Media, up 125%, encapsulating the transformation of media brands from news source to indispensable tools used daily around the world.
Google, the world’s third most valuable brand, saw its brand value increase by 24% to USD 413 billion. Ongoing investments in AI have enhanced Google’s reputation for innovation while strengthening its consumer appeal and trust.
Amazon, with a 15% increase in brand value to USD356.4 billion, continues to integrate AI across its operations, from personalised recommendations to advanced logistics. These efforts have solidified its reputation as a customer-focused brand, driving sustained growth.
For the second consecutive year, WeChat has been the world’s strongest brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 95.2 out of 100 and an AAA+ brand strength rating. WeChat’s comprehensive ecosystem and seamless integration capability continue to propel the Chinese brand as a global leader.
Apple leads the way among 193 American brands featured in the ranking, collectively contributing over half of the total. China and Germany follow as the second and third most valuable countries, with 69 and 27 brands respectively, accounting for 15% and 6% of the total brand value. Across sectors, banking leads with 79 brands contributing 13%, followed by retail with 45 brands at 11%. Media ranks third, with 23 brands representing 10%.