New Brand Finance data reveals nine of the 11 Chinese brands ranked recorded brand value decline
LONDON, 26 June 2025 – Chinese real estate brands still top the global sector rankings, but signs of their waning influence are beginning to emerge, according to the Real Estate Services 25 2025 report from Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy.
The report reveals that most Chinese real estate brands ranked saw their brand value decline this year as market challenges grow, opening the door for rising players from the US, and Middle East, to make their mark.
For the third year in a row, Vanke (brand value down 29% to USD7.4 billion) holds onto its title as the world’s most valuable real estate brand ranked. Its continued lead highlights the brand’s resilience, even as China’s property crisis weighs heavily on the sector.
Vanke also claimed the title of the strongest real estate brand ranked in 2025, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 92.7/100 and a AAA+ brand strength rating. According to Brand Finance’s market research, this boost reflects the brand’s strong recognition and familiarity among Chinese consumers.
China Resources Land (brand value down 2% to USD7.1 billion) ranks as the second most valuable real estate brand for the second consecutive year. Poly Development (brand value up 5% to USD6.7 billion) retains third place, also for the second consecutive year. In a tough market, Poly Development has managed to edge forward, showing steady progress where many others have slipped.
The UAE’s Emaar (brand value up 58% to USD4.0 billion) has emerged as the fastest-growing real estate brand ranked for the year, propelling the brand to move up six positions to rank fourth overall. This was largely driven by strong demand in the Dubai property market and the successful execution of key development projects in areas such as The Valley, Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai South, and The Oasis. This supports the brand’s strong upward trajectory since 2021, during which it has more than tripled in value from USD1.5 billion (167% increase).
Alex Haigh, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Brand Finance, commented:
“Chinese real estate brands continue to lead the global rankings, but the momentum is clearly shifting. With most of the major players in China experiencing a decline in brand value, and others from regions such as the Middle East and the US showing strong growth, the competitive landscape is becoming more dynamic. China still holds a dominant position in terms of overall value, and the leading brand retains its top ranking despite significant challenges. However, staying ahead will increasingly depend on how well these brands adapt to shifting market conditions, intensifying international competition, and evolving consumer expectations.”
ROSHN GROUP (brand value at USD1.1 billion), a new entrant to the real estate rankings, debuts as the 24th most valuable real estate brand globally. Its rapid rise reflects an ambitious growth strategy, supported by a bold rebrand in late 2024 to signal its shift from residential housing to a multi-asset real estate group. The company aims to deliver over 400,000 homes, contributing to Saudi Arabia’s national homeownership goals. Its expanding portfolio includes residential, retail, commercial, and hospitality assets, as well as enabling infrastructure such as education and healthcare. With strong investment, high-profile partnerships, and record-breaking launches, ROSHN GROUP is well-positioned to become a major force in the global real estate sector.
Meanwhile, JLL (brand value up 3% to USD1.3 billion) climbed up five places from 2024 to rank 20th this year. JLL’s investment into technology and emerging trends such as AI-powered solutions like ‘JLL Falcon’ has enabled it to provide its clients with data-driven insights and enhanced decision-making capabilities.
Brand Finance also released its inaugural Commercial Real Estate 5 2025 sub-ranking as part of the Real Estate Services 25 2025 report. American brand CBRE (brand value at USD3.2 billion) made an impressive debut in the rankings, claiming top spot ahead of JLL (brand value at USD1.3 billion), and Cushman & Wakefield (brand value at USD619 million). CBRE’s strength lies in a smartly diversified business model that has allowed it to grow steadily while staying resilient to market shifts. The brand has seen strong momentum in workplace solutions, leasing and property management, alongside solid gains from strategic acquisitions like W&J Worldwide and the integration of Turner & Townsend.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organisations make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance operates in over 25 countries. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 6,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.
Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on 6,000 brands, surveying more than 175,000 respondents across 41 countries and 31 industry sectors. By combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database — the largest brand value database in the world — Brand Finance equips ambitious brand leaders with the data, analytics, and the strategic guidance they need to enhance brand and business value.
In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance, compliant with ISO 20671.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm and a committed leader in the standardisation of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.
Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.
Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.
Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.
Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.
The steps in this process are as follows:
1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.
2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.
3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.
4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.
5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.
6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.
7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.
Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.
The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.
