NANNING, Oct. 31 — The total value of the top 500 brands in ASEAN has reached 315.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2026, up 8 percent year on year, said a report released on Friday in Nanning, capital of south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Highlighting increasingly diversified brand value growth in this regional bloc, the report by the British brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance noted that banking remains ASEAN’s largest sector at 105.9 billion dollars, while travel and leisure brands gain ground.
Banking remains the region’s largest source of brand value, with 73 banks tracked consistently since 2023 adding 26 billion dollars, representing almost 60 percent of the total increase among the 378 brands analysed, said the report.
A recovery in regional travel, meanwhile, has also reshaped the brand landscape. Airlines were the fastest-growing major sector among brands tracked consistently, increasing 67 percent since 2023, according to the report.
As Chinese and ASEAN companies pursue opportunities across each other’s markets, brand strength will be an important differentiator, said Alex Haigh, managing director of Brand Finance Asia Pacific.
Companies that invest in reputation, customer relationships and local relevance will be better positioned to build sustainable value beyond their home markets, he added.
Set up in 1996, Brand Finance publishes over 100 reports annually, ranking brands across sectors and countries. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
