Annual rankings include Top 500 globally, but how do Canadian firms shape up?
An annual ranking of the world’s most valuable brands has been revealed, with tech firms and financial services titans among the high-fliers.
While the top five is dominated by pure technology brands – Apple, Microsoft, Google are the top three – Amazon also makes this elite group along with Walmart, showing the strength of these retail brands (although Amazon also counts as a tech firm for some of its activities).
The rankings from consultancy firm Brand Finance considers the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market. The Global 500 is being launched today (Jan. 21) at Davos in partnership with Infosys.
Canadian firms are some way down the Top 500 with the highest-ranking sitting in 120th position and it may surprise some that this has been achieved by TD Banking Group, given the challenging year it had in 2024 with charges leading to multi-billion-dollar fines from US regulators.
The report puts TD’s brand value at US$17.4 billion, an 8% drop from 2024 but not enough for second-placed rival RBC (up 1% to $16.6 billion, ranked 130th) to steal its lead. Third-ranked Canadian brand is Circle K (up 13% to $12.8 billion, ranked 186th).
The fastest growing Canadian brand is Manulife, rising 23% to $7.1 billion and moving up 63 spots to 336th. The firm is doing well domestically for meeting customer needs and its reputation, while also growing its international appeal, especially in Asia-Pacific.
"After nearly five years of navigating unprecedented global challenges - including a pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and record-high inflation - Canada’s economy has emerged remarkably resilient over the past year, achieving a faster and stronger recovery than many of its global peers,” commented Laurence Newell, managing director, Brand Finance Americas. “This recovery has provided an environment that has allowed Canadian brands some space to grow, with two-thirds of them posting an increase in brand value this year. However, as President Trump takes office today and warns of implementing a 25% tariff on most imports from Canada, brands will closely monitor how this move could impact their operations and growth prospects.”
Top Five Globally
The world’s 500 most valuable brands grew 10% to $9.5 trillion in 2025, outpacing global economic growth at 3%.
1. Apple: brand value of $574.5 billion, up 11% from 2024
2. Microsoft: brand value of $461.1 billion, up 35%
3. Google: brand value of $413.0 billion, up 24%
4. Amazon: brand value of $356.4 billion, up 15%
5. Walmart: brand value of $137.2 billion, up 42%
Among the fastest-growing firms in the Global 500 over the past five years are TikTok, NVIDIA, and AMD.
“Our analysis of what brands have grown the most since 2020 reveals that technology companies do not have a monopoly on sustained brand growth,” said David Haigh, chairman and CEO of Brand Finance. “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.”
