View the full Brand Finance GIFT™ 2024 report here.
For more than 25 years, Brand Finance has focused on providing business leaders with the tools and insights to drive growth, bridging the gap between marketing and finance.
Intangible assets are the valuable capabilities and tools owned by firms which cannot be touched, including a strong brand, an exhaustive customer database, innovative new software, and artistic rights such as films and music.
When Brand Finance began the GIFT™ study, global intangible assets were worth an estimated USD8 trillion, a number that has rapidly grown over the past two decades. Software has increased in value as technology has become a regular part of personal and work lives.
Key highlights include:
- Innovations such as AI have continued to boost the value of software, marketing, and customer relationships both as standalone assets and also through synergies; due to software advancements, marketing can be tailored to different customers, who are increasingly connected with tech organisations due to technology advancements such as FinTech and HealthTech.
- In 2024, global intangible value has more than recovered from its 2022 decline, surpassing its previous peak of USD76.0 trillion in 2021 to reach a record high of USD79.4 trillion. This represents a substantial 28% increase from 2023, when global intangible value was USD61.9 trillion. During the same period, the value of global tangible net assets has also increased to USD68.8 trillion.
- This year’s record high in intangible asset value reinforces the positive trend observed since 2012, highlighting the increasing significance of intangible assets in today’s global economy. As companies continue to invest in digital transformation, research and development, intangible assets have become a critical driver of long-term growth and competitive advantage.
Annie Brown, Valuation Director at Brand Finance, commented:
"Global intangible value is the highest it has ever been, according to Brand Finance’s GIFT™ 2024 study. Our latest data highlights the transformative impact of technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence in driving this growth, for instance, the surging intangible value of semiconductor companies, particularly US-based giant NVIDIA. Looking ahead, the focus is on how companies will leverage their intangible assets, including intellectual property and data, to drive growth and favourably position themselves in an increasingly tech-driven market."
