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An aerial view of the Shenzhen Bay skyline in Nanshan District, one of Shenzhen's key technology and business hubs. (Photo: Shenzhen Special Zone Daily)
In the 2026 Kantar BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Chinese Brands list, three Shenzhen-based companies secured top 10 positions, highlighting the city's robust capabilities in technology, finance, and consumer services.
Tencent retained the top spot for the sixth consecutive year with a brand value of US$209.893 billion, a 6% year-on-year increase. Huawei ranked fifth at US$80.233 billion, surging 25%, while Ping An took ninth place with a value of US$36.840 billion, up 24%.
The Kantar BrandZ ranking is a premier global valuation index that integrates financial analysis with consumer research. It assesses brands based on financial value and brand contribution, measuring the portion of financial value driven by brand equity.
The total value of this year's top 100 brands reached US$1.37 trillion, marking a 13% increase and the second consecutive year of double-digit growth. Media and entertainment, financial services, consumer technology, service platforms, and retail emerged as the strongest sectors, collectively accounting for nearly 70% of the total value.
Shenzhen's Diverse Brand Landscape
Beyond the top three, other Shenzhen enterprises featured on the list include BYD, China Merchants Bank, SF Express, Dongpeng Beverage, DJI, HEYTEA, and ZTE. Spanning advanced manufacturing, finance, logistics, consumer goods, and tech hardware, their presence reflects the increasing diversity of Shenzhen's brand ecosystem.
From Technology to Consumer Value
Competitive advantage is no longer derived solely from technological prowess. Increasingly, it depends on a company's ability to translate technology into tangible value that consumers can see, experience, and rely upon.
Doreen Wang, Kantar Greater China CEO and global chair of Kantar BrandZ, noted that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, coupled with evolving consumer needs, is reshaping the logic of brand growth. She emphasized that sustained growth relies on staying close to consumers and building deeper online and offline connections.
"Chinese brands are demonstrating strong growth resilience and agile innovation capabilities," Wang stated.
London-based Kantar is a global data, insights, and consulting firm, formerly part of WPP. Its BrandZ platform produces the annual report on the most valuable Chinese brands.
WeChat Editors/Cynthia, Yunfei
