EBI GLOBAL TOP 100 Brand Corporations 2025: Technology and AI drive Global Brand Value Growth - Luxury and Energy under pressure

The GLOBAL TOP 100 Brand Corporations 2025 recorded a robust +8.5% increase in total brand value, lifting the combined value of the world’s leading brand corporations to over EUR 5.4 trillion. This growth was fueled by exceptional performances in technology, artificial intelligence, healthcare, and retail, while luxury and energy brands faced notable headwinds.

Ranking: EBI Brand Rankings

Technology remains the undisputed engine of global brand value creation. U.S. tech leaders dominated the top of the ranking: 1. Apple (EUR 437.871 bn/+5.0%), 2. Alphabet (EUR 416.121 bn/+14.9%), and 3. Microsoft (EUR 394.897 bn/+19.6%) all expanded significantly, supported by strong demand for cloud, software, and digital ecosystems. NVIDIA (EUR 173,928 bn/+99.9%) delivered the most striking performance, nearly doubling in value as the surge in artificial intelligence adoption positioned the company as a critical enabler of the global digital economy. Meta (+35.6%) rebounded on advertising recovery and metaverse repositioning, while Amazon (+18.1%) and Walmart (+27.4%) showcased the ongoing resilience of the U.S. retail sector.

Europe showed a mixed performance. Europe's most valuable brand corporation French LVMH Group falls to 7th place worldwide with a brand value of EUR 127.596 bn, followed by the Swiss number 1 Nestlé EUR 42.894 bn (global rank 29) and the British Shell EUR 42.073 bn (global rank 31). Deutsche Telekom (+14.6%) and SAP (+11.0%) capitalized on digitalization trends, while BMW (-9.1%), and Stellantis (-33.1%) weighed on regional results due to consumer weakness, rising costs, and industry headwinds. Red Bull, Austria's only brand corporation in the GLOBAL TOP 100, is in 86th place with EUR 19.600 bn (+3%) in the ranking.

In contrast, the luxury sector entered a correction phase after years of extraordinary growth. LVMH (-13.9%) and Christian Dior (-10.6%) saw declining brand values, particularly impacted by softer Chinese demand and cautious European consumers. Hermès (+5.3%), however, demonstrated resilience, underlining the enduring power of strong niche positioning. Similarly, energy brands including Saudi Aramco (-6.1%) and Shell (-7.5%) retreated as oil and gas prices normalized following the volatility of 2022–23.

Asia remained a vital growth engine. Alibaba (+5.4%) and Tencent (+11.9%) consolidated their leadership in digital ecosystems, while Xiaomi (+40.2%) posted one of the strongest gains, benefiting from expansion in smartphones and electric vehicles. BYD (+11.7%) and Toyota (+12.4%) highlighted the region’s growing influence in the global automotive transition to EVs and hybrids.

“Overall, the GLOBAL TOP 100 2025 highlights a structural rebalancing of brand value worldwide. Technology, AI, and healthcare are increasingly shaping the global brand landscape, offsetting cyclical corrections in luxury, energy, and traditional industries. The findings reaffirm that innovation, adaptability, and scale remain the critical drivers of brand resilience in an uncertain global economy” summarizes study author Prof. Dr. Gerhard Hrebicek, President European Brand Institute. 

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The GLOBAL TOP 100 BRAND CORPORATIONS RANKING by the European Brand Institute has analyzed more than 3,000 brand companies and their brands in 16 sectors based on the latest ISO standards. Data based on fiscal year 2024, financial data source: LSEG data.