Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2025: China overtakes UK for the first time, US remains top-ranked nation brand

• The US retains top position, but reputation declines following divisive presidential campaign, and future direction under President Trump looks uncertain
• The UK drops to 3^rd 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 10^th 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

20 February 2025, LONDON – The United States and China are the most influential Soft Power nations in the world, according to the new iteration of the Global Soft Power Index by Brand Finance. The UK is ranked 3^rd, followed by Japan (4^th), and Germany (5^th).

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 1^st to 193^rd.

The 2025 Index reveals a growing divergence in Soft Power potential between nations, with stronger ones - like China - advancing faster while weaker ones - like Kiribati - fall further behind. The top 10 gained an average of +0.9 points in their Soft Power scores, while the bottom 10 saw a sharp decline of -3.0 points. The same is true across broader segments - within the top 100, scores rose by +0.3 on average, while the remaining 93 countries declined by -1.2, reflecting a widening gap where gains by leading nations often come at the expense of others.

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.”

The United States maintains its position at the top of the ranking with an all-time highest Global Soft Power Index score of 79.5 out of 100. Once again, it leads in the Familiarity and Influence Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), three out of eight Soft Power pillars, and ranks highest in 12 out of the 35 nation brand attributes. At the same time, the US’s Reputation has taken a hit, falling four positions to rank 15^th globally, and Governance, a key pillar that underpins a nation’s Reputation, has revealed a notable decline down four spots to 10^th, likely due to internal political tensions and the polarising nature of the presidential campaign, which was underway during the time of polling.

David Haigh, Chairman, Brand Finance commented:

“At the end of his first term, Donald Trump’s confrontational politics weakened US Soft Power, costing it the top spot in the 2021 Index. Now, he returns for a second term as the US sees a drop in perceptions of its political stability and good governance for the third consecutive year. As he dismantles traditional Soft Power mechanisms such as foreign aid and free trade, uncertainty and unpredictability loom over America’s Soft Power and global reputation, with potential implications for future rankings."

For the first time, China has surpassed the UK to rank 2^nd with a score of 72.8 out of 100 - its highest ever position. Since 2024, China has recorded statistically significant growth across six of the eight Soft Power pillars, and in two-thirds of measured attributes, stemming from strategic efforts including Belt and Road projects, an increased focus on sustainability, stronger domestic brands, and post-pandemic reopening to visitors.

At the same time, the United Kingdom’s drop to third place behind China reflects a period of stagnation in its nation brand perceptions. While scores remain relatively stable, a lack of progress across key pillars – especially Business & Trade, down to 6^th, and Governance, down to 3^rd, are an argument that the UK should bolster its Soft Power strategy.

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.”

After years of Soft Power gains, Middle Eastern nations lose momentum in 2025. Saudi Arabia has dropped two positions to 20^th and Qatar has fallen one spot to 22^nd. The United Arab Emirates is an exception, retaining 10^th position globally, bolstered by strong perceptions of Influence (8^th), International Relations (9^th), and Business & Trade (10^th). This year, the UAE rises to 2^nd position globally for being ‘easy to do business in and with,’ and ranks in the top 10 for ‘future growth potential’ and ‘strong and stable economy’, driven by fiscal strength, a positive investment climate, and ongoing economic diversification.

El Salvador is 2025’s fastest-rising nation, climbing 35 spots to 82^nd with a +3.2-point increase in its Soft Power score. El Salvador has significantly reduced gang violence and homicides, with improving views of El Salvador as ‘safe and secure’ and ‘politically stable and well governed’. El Salvador has also advanced in Business & Trade - its 2021 decision to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, though controversial, has attracted significant attention.

In contrast, nations engaged in military conflicts continue to decline in Soft Power. Israel dropped to all-time lowest 33^rd in the overall ranking, following a sharp 42-place decline in the Reputation metric to 121^st. Ukraine fell two positions to 46^th as it struggles to maintain international attention and support. Russia remains at 16^th, bolstered by strong support from Eastern allies despite widespread condemnation from the West. Ukraine’s Reputation also declined, falling 19 positions to 95^th, below Russia’s 75^th, highlighting global divisions over the ongoing conflict between the two nations.