View the full Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 report here
Chinese banking brands are subsiding in brand value with American brands quickly closing the gap. ICBC (brand value down 7% to US$69.5 billion) is the most valuable banking brand in the world, followed by China Construction Bank (brand value down 4% to US$62.7 billion) and Agricultural Bank of China (brand value down 7% to US$57.7 billion).
Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts thousands of the world’s biggest brands to the test, and publishes over 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The world’s top 500 most valuable and strongest brands in the banking industry are included in the annual Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 ranking.
The Brand Finance Banking 2023 report finds several key trends in the banking industry. An important trend in the sector is that neo/digital banks, such as Revolut (brand value up 57% to US$194 million), have made a significant impact in the industry, entering the top 500 most valuable banking brands for the first time, with a brand value increase of 57% year-on-year.
According to a new report from leading brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance, ICBC (brand value down 7% to US$69.5 billion) is the most valuable banking brand worldwide. The company has several subsidiaries globally and serves over half a billion individuals and several million business clients. ICBC is outperforming its competitors, maintaining a strong lead in brand value over China Construction Bank (brand value down 4% to US$62.7 billion) and Agricultural Bank of China (brand value down 7% to US$57.7 billion), which are the second and third most valuable banking brands globally, respectively.
Declan Ahern, Director of Brand Finance commented:
“Banking brands across the globe have continued to recover significantly post COVID-19. There has been an improvement in digital banking services, government stimulus measures have been relatively successful, and the rise of mobile banking and online platforms have contributed to the sectors positive performance. Accelerated by the strict global lockdowns, banking and fintech brands have innovated to create user friendly mobile application-based banking services that have led to an increase in customer satisfaction and acquisition.”
SVB (brand value up 148% to US$2.8 billion) is the fastest-growing banking brand in the world, more than doubling in brand value this year. The bank specialises in providing banking services for venture capital firms to support the start-up ecosystem. In 2021, the bank completed a merger with Boston Private and has rebranded to be called SVB Private. SVB actively invests in entrepreneurial ventures including fintech firms like Wise and new healthtech ventures that are disrupting the industry.
Digital banks (also know as “neobanks”) have achieved success in the past few years by integrating the power of technology into banking. The fintech sector is growing globally with a number of service offerings in a competitive market. Digital bank brands like Tymebank and Discovery Bank in South Africa, Nubank (brand value up 110% to US$1.0 billion) in Brazil, and Maya Bank in the Philippines are disrupting the industry, according to our research these brands score highly in innovation and sustainability – two key drivers of customer choice.
The value of neobanks in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 has grown from US$795.6 million in 2022 to US$1,611.9 million in 2023 - an increase of 102.6% (US$816.3 million). US$194 million of this value increase is due to Revolut entering the rankings for the first time this year. Revolut (brand value up 57% to US$194 million) is one of the new entrants in this year’s ranking. The fintech bank recently announced its new growth strategy resulted in 25 million customers internationally.
Sustainability perceptions account for 6.8% when driving brand consideration in the banking sector
Sustainability is a topic of growing importance in the banking sector, a number of stakeholders expect banks to be economically, socially, and environmentally responsible. Global banking brands including HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and Barclays have responded to this by communicating their sustainability accreditations and commitment to sustainability in their marketing campaigns, albeit not always successfully.
According to Brand Finance research, DBS (brand value up 21% to US$10.5 billion), Bank of China (brand value down 4% to US$47.3 billion) and Al-Rajhi (brand value up 32% to US$5.7 billion) have the highest sustainability perception scores in the industry. Based on the findings from the Brand Finance Sustainability Perceptions Index 2023, these banks have sustainability driver scores of 9.2%, 8.5% and 8.4% respectively.
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’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 150,000 respondents in 38 countries and across 31 sectors.
First National Bank (brand value down 3% to US$1.5 billion) is the strongest banking brand in the ranking with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 93 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA+ rating. It is one of the oldest and largest banks in South Africa, with a history dating back to 1838. The bank also provides online and mobile banking services, making it easy for customers to access their accounts and manage their finances from anywhere.
View the full Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 report here
ENDS
Note to Editors
Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts thousands of the biggest brands to the test, and publishes over 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The world’s top 500 most valuable and strongest banking brands are included in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 ranking.
Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market. Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors.
The full ranking, additional insights, charts, more information about the methodology, and definitions of key terms are available in the Brand Finance Banking 500 2023 report.
Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance for more than 25 years, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organizations of all kinds make strategic decisions.
Headquartered in London, Brand Finance has offices in over 20 countries, offering services on all continents. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 5,000 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 over 5,000 brands, surveying more than 150,000 respondents across 38 countries and 31 industry sectors. Combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database enables Brand Finance to arm brand leaders with the data and analytics they need to enhance brand and business value.
Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm, leading the standardization 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.
