View the full Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025 here.
The United States and China are the most influential Soft Power nations in the world. The UK is ranked 3rd, followed by Japan (4th), and Germany (5th).
Brand Finance publishes the Global Soft Power Index based on a survey of more than 170,000 respondents from over 100 countries to gather data on global perceptions of all 193 member states of the United Nations. Thanks to the scope of the survey, the Index is the world’s most comprehensive study on perceptions of nation brands, providing an in-depth analysis of the evolving status of Soft Power as nations navigate significant global changes and challenges.
Soft Power is defined as a nation's ability to influence the preferences and behaviours of various actors in the international arena (states, corporations, communities, publics, etc.) through attraction or persuasion rather than coercion. Each nation is scored across 55 different metrics to arrive at an overall score out of 100 and ranked in order from 1st to 193rd.
Key highlights include:
- The US retains top position, but reputation declines following divisive presidential campaign, and future direction under President Trump looks uncertain
- The UK drops to 3rd overtaken by China in the sixth annual survey from Brand Finance measuring how nations are perceived around the world
- Middle Eastern nations lose Soft Power momentum, except for the United Arab Emirates, which retains 10th position
- El Salvador is the fastest-rising nation brand, climbing 35 spots in the global ranking
- Nations engaging in hard power see Soft Power damage – Israel's reputation declines
Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director, Brand Finance, commented:
"While experts previously posited that all nation brands might experience a gradual score inflation over time, the data now suggests a zero-sum game, with winners and losers. The global public’s capacity to develop familiarity with and admiration for nation brands seems finite, favouring prominent countries and those making deliberate efforts to stand out. Less familiar nations struggle to capture attention and affection in this highly competitive environment.”
David Haigh, Chairman, Brand Finance, commented:
“China has invested heavily in enhancing its Soft Power, and now we’re seeing the result as it ranks higher than the United Kingdom for the first time in the six years Brand Finance has released the Global Soft Power Index. The 2025 rankings reflect China’s sustained efforts to enhance its economic attractiveness, showcase its culture, and boost its reputation as a safe and well-governed nation. The UK needs to keep up and the establishment of the UK Soft Power Council is a step in the right direction.”
View the full Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025 here.