Brand Finance data shows eight telecom giants from the region made it into global rankings in 2026
LONDON, 3 March 2026 - stc has once again been recognised as the most valuable telecoms brand in the Middle East for the sixth consecutive year, in addition to being ninth among the world’s most valuable telecom brands, according to the Telecoms 150 2026 report from Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy.
stc recorded an increase in its brand value by 9% to USD17.6 billion while its Brand Strength Index (BSI) score stood at 88.6/100 with an AAA brand strength rating, which is the strongest telecoms brand in the region while also retaining its position from 2025 as the world’s third strongest telecoms brand.
This performance reflects stc’s sustained brand momentum throughout 2025, a year marked by continued growth driven by successful expansion into fintech and IT services through a combination of organic growth, M&A activity, and strategic partnerships. This was underpinned by a clear strategic direction, ongoing investment in innovation, and a sustained focus on operational excellence and financial strength. stc is increasingly positioned as a digital enabler aligned with national transformation agendas such as Vision 2030, and as a credible competitor on the global technology stage.
e& (brand value up 7% to USD16.4 billion) consolidated its position as the second most valuable telecoms brand in the region. The group further strengthened its global standing by climbing two places to rank as the 14th strongest telecoms brand worldwide, achieving a BSI score of 85.8/100 while maintaining its AAA brand strength rating.
Zain (brand value up 16% to USD4 billion) climbs five places to rank 35th among the world’s top 150 telecoms brands in 2026, while retaining its position as the third most valuable telecoms brand in the Middle East. Zain also ranks as the 25th strongest telecoms brand globally, achieving a BSI score of 83.3/100 and an AAA- brand strength rating.
du (brand value up 27% to USD3.9 billion), also recorded significant gains, as it climbed four places to rank as the 39th most valuable telecoms brand globally. It retained its position as the 20th strongest telecoms brand globally, achieving a BSI score of 84.1/100 with an AAA- brand strength rating.
With 32% growth, Mobily (brand value up 32% to USD3.5 billion) is the fastest growing telecoms brand in Middle East for the sixth consecutive year. The brand made a debut into the top 50 globally for the first time by moving up 13 ranks to secure the 42nd spot among the global telecoms brands in 2026. Mobily continues to strengthen its market position through network enhancements, customer acquisition initiatives, and an expanding portfolio of digital and connectivity services.
Savio D’Souza, Managing Director Middle East & Africa, Brand Finance, commented:
“Middle Eastern telecom operators are rapidly evolving into global digital powerhouses. The regional telecoms brands are moving decisively beyond connectivity, building integrated ecosystems across cloud, cybersecurity, data centres and fintech to unlock new revenue streams and deepen enterprise relevance. Backed by ambitious national transformation agendas and sustained investment, their strong brand performance reflects strategic clarity, financial resilience and rising global competitiveness, positioning the region as an increasingly influential force in the digital economy.”
Other notable brands in the Telecoms 150 2026 rankings are:
Telecoms Industry Global Insights
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, 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.
