Apple is the 2025 most valuable brand in the world

Apple is once again the world’s most valuable brand. Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, values Apple’s brand at USD574.5 billion for 2025, keeping it ahead of its closest rival, Microsoft, valued at USD461 billion. Except for 2023, when Apple briefly trailed Amazon by a margin of just 1 per cent, 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:

1. Apple: brand value of USD574.5 billion, up 11 per cent from 2024
2. Microsoft: brand value of USD461.1 billion, up 35 per cent
3. Google: brand value of USD413.0 billion, up 24 per cent
4. Amazon: brand value of USD356.4 billion, up 15 per cent
5. Walmart: brand value of USD137.2 billion, up 42 per cent

Brand Finance also analysed what brands have grown the most since 2020:

1. TikTok/Douyin: brand value of USD105.8 billion, up from USD59.0 billion (in 2022)
2. DraftKings: brand value of USD5.1 billion, up from USD18 million in 2020
3. Fanduel: brand value of USD7.0 billion, up from USD56 million in 2020
4. NVIDIA: brand value of USD87.9 billion, up from USD4.7 billion in 2020
5. AMD: brand value of USD11.0 billion, up from USD1.4 billion in 2020
6. Pinduoduo: brand value of USD13.0 billion, up from USD2.5 billion in 2020
7. BYD: brand value of USD14.0 billion, up from USD3.1 billion in 2020
8. Apple: brand value of USD574.5 billion, up from USD140.5 billion in 2020
9. TSMC: brand value of USD34.2 billion, up from US8.6 billion in 2020
10. Microsoft: brand value of USD461.1 billion, up from USD117.1 billion in 2020
11. Lilly: brand value of USD8.0 billion, up from USD2.1 billion in 2020

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. eCommerce brand Pinduoduo is following in Apple and Microsoft’s footsteps, investing in an ecosystem that merges social networking with online shopping. Electric vehicle maker BYD and pharmaceutical brand Lilly are meeting the modern demands of evolving consumers.

David Haigh, Chairman and CEO of Brand Finance, commented: “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 per cent, 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 per cent to USD413 billion. Ongoing investments in AI have enhanced Google’s reputation for innovation while strengthening its consumer appeal and trust.

Amazon, with a 15 per cent 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 is 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.

e& is the fastest growing brand value in the world this year, posting an eight-fold increase in brand value to USD15.3 billion. This is the final stage of a 3-year group rebrand, staged to transition brand equity from Etisalat to e& as a platform for international growth. The like-for-like brand value growth is 13 per cent versus the combined value of the brands in 2024. Nvidia has the highest like-for-like growth – 98 per cent – making it the second fastest-growing brand value for 2025.

Global economic growth is expected to remain stagnant at 2.8 per cent in 2025, mirroring 2024 and falling short of the 3.2 per cent pre-pandemic average, according to United Nations forecasts. In contrast, the world’s 500 most valuable brands are thriving, with their total value rising 10 per cent year-on-year, from USD8.6 trillion in 2024 to nearly USD9.5 trillion in 2025, according to Brand Finance data.

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 per cent and 6 per cent of the total brand value. Across sectors, banking leads with 79 brands contributing 13 per cent, followed by retail with 45 brands at 11 per cent. Media ranks third, with 23 brands representing 10 per cent.