Nvidia rides AI wave as Apple keeps brand crown

AI continues to reshape the brand rankings of the world’s biggest companies, according to Brand Finance’s Global 500 for 2026. Nvidia climbed to fifth place, up four spots, overtaking Facebook and Walmart. The chipmaker’s brand value reached $184.3 billion at the end of 2025, a 110% year-on-year jump, which Brand Finance links directly to booming demand for AI technologies. Chair and CEO David Haigh said Nvidia is clearly benefiting from this surge, while rival Intel is seen as “playing catch-up,” even as it faces what he called a critical test in turning stronger brand sentiment in 2025 into real gains. AMD’s brand is described as moving on a similar path to Nvidia’s.

Apple kept its position as the world’s most valuable brand, up 6% to $607.6 billion. Microsoft placed second with $565.2 billion (up 23%), and Google third at $433.1 billion (up 5%). Amazon held fourth, just ahead of Nvidia. TikTok and its Chinese counterpart Douyin moved up to sixth. Samsung dropped six places to eighth, while Facebook fell one spot to ninth. OpenAI entered the Brand Finance list for the first time, underlining how quickly AI-native companies are becoming prominent global brands.