ADNOC Remains UAE’s Most Valuable Brand for Eighth Year, Tops Brand Strength in 2026

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The UAE’s top 50 brands increased in value by 17% year on year to USD104.5 billion in 2026, supported by continued growth across oil and gas, banking, telecoms, real estate and manufacturing, according to the UAE 50 report from Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation consultancy.

One of the most notable shifts over the past five years has been the gradual emergence of brands from the Northern Emirates. In 2020, the UAE rankings were overwhelmingly dominated by Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and while that trend still broadly holds, the landscape is beginning to evolve. A small but growing number of Northern Emirates brands are now breaking into the top 50, signalling early signs of diversification.

Although they currently account for just 1.6% of total brand value across the UAE’s top 50, these brands carry significant growth potential, supported by expanding activity in sectors such as tourism, manufacturing, logistics, and real estate. This points to a more balanced distribution of brand value over time, as economic development continues to broaden beyond the country’s traditional centres.

Leading the rankings once again is ADNOC (brand value up 11% to USD21.1 billion), which retains its position as the UAE’s most valuable brand for the eighth consecutive year. The brand also reached a major milestone in 2026, becoming the first Emirati brand to enter the Brand Finance Global 500 at 100th position globally.

e& (brand value up 7% to USD16.4 billion) retains its position as the second most valuable brand in the UAE, supported by strong financial performance and its continued transformation into a global technology group. The brand reported a 23% year-on-year increase in revenues to AED72.9 billion (approximately USD19.8 billion) in 2025, alongside a growing subscriber base exceeding 244 million across its expanding international footprint.

Savio D’Souza, Managing Director Middle East and Africa, Brand Finance, commented:

“The UAE's top 50 brands crossing USD104.5 billion is a milestone, but the more important story is the direction of travel. Banking brands are growing at pace, Emirates is strengthening its global premium position, and for the first time we are seeing meaningful brand value emerge across the emirates and sectors. As AI adoption accelerates and economic diversification deepens, the conditions are in place for UAE brands to compete and win on the global stage in ways that would have seemed ambitious just a few years ago.”

Emirates (brand value up 27% to USD10.6 billion) retains third position, reflecting the airline’s strong commercial performance driven by sustained global travel demand and growing preference for premium cabins, which continue to support higher yields. Operationally, the airline has strengthened its position through continued fleet.

Banking leads the way as the UAE’s fastest-growing sector, with collective brand value up 29% and four banking brands securing places in the country’s top 10 most valuable brands. Growth across the sector has been driven by strong lending activity, rising deposits, higher transaction volumes, digital transformation and increasingly diversified revenue streams.

Emirates NBD (brand value up 34% to USD6.1 billion) remains a major force in the sector, supported by expanded lending, stronger deposit growth, higher transaction volumes and continued investment in digital transformation and fee-generating businesses.

As the UAE’s largest bank by market capitalisation and assets, FAB (brand value up 21% to USD5.5 billion) retains fifth position, supported by record 2025 financial performance, stronger international diversification and the accelerated use of digital and AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency and returns.

Meanwhile, ADCB (brand value up 33% to USD4.4 billion) ranks as the country’s seventh most valuable brand, benefiting from double-digit growth in both interest and non-interest income, stronger fee and trading income, and continued focus on sustainability and innovation initiatives such as its ClimaTech Accelerator 2025 programme.

Another telecoms brand in the country, du (brand value up 27% to USD3.8 billion), secures its position as the ninth most valuable brand in the UAE. The brand’s growth is supported by strong financial performance, with revenues rising to AED15.9 billion (approximately USD4.3 billion) and net profit increasing 17% in 2025, reflecting sustained operational momentum and disciplined execution. du continues to advance its transformation beyond traditional connectivity by scaling its digital ecosystem, including cloud, AI, and data centre capabilities, alongside the expansion of du Pay and other digital services.

Mashreq (brand value up 36% to USD2.4 billion) enters the top 10 for the first time since being valued in 2020, reflecting its strong financial performance and accelerated transformation into a digital first bank. The brand continues to strengthen its position through sustained investment in AI-led innovation, digital platforms such as NEO, and international expansion, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

PureHealth Group is the region’s largest integrated healthcare platform; The total combined portfolio value of all its brands now totals USD2.9 billion, a 23% growth (USD2.4 billion in 2025) vs last year. In addition to the PureHealth brand (brand value USD675 million), it manages a portfolio of brands that make the UAE report: SEHA (brand value USD985 million), Daman (brand value USD337 million) and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City (SSMC) (brand value USD325 million).

RAK Ceramics (new entrant at USD158 million) enters the ranking for the first time with a brand value of USD158 million, reflecting its evolution from a regional manufacturer into a genuinely global business with a presence in over 150 countries. Its inclusion underlines that brand-building in the UAE is not confined to Abu Dhabi and Dubai and that strong brands are emerging across the federation.

In the brand strength analysis, ADNOC, the strongest brand in the UAE achieved a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.4/100. The brand’s success is attributed to strong customer trust and confidence, underpinned by its commitment to operational excellence, reliability, and long-term value creation. ADNOC’s reputation as a leading energy brand is further reinforced by its strategic expansion across the value chain, continued investment in lower-carbon solutions, and its role in ensuring energy security while advancing the UAE’s sustainability ambitions.

e& (brand value up 7% to USD16.4 billion) is the second strongest brand in the UAE, recording a BSI score of 85.8/100. Brand Finance’s market research data indicates strong domestic performance in the consideration and preference metrics, though there remains scope to enhance perceptions of reputation, reliability, price acceptance, and customer advocacy.

Emirates (brand value up 27% to USD10.6 billion) is the third strongest brand in the UAE with a BSI score of 85.3/100, a performance underpinned by its unrivalled global visibility and one of the most ambitious sports sponsorship portfolios in the aviation industry. In 2025 alone, Emirates announced nine major sports deals and renewals, positioning itself as one of the world's most visible sports sponsors through the 2030s. Its headline seven-year partnership with FC Bayern Munich made Emirates a Platinum Partner of the German football powerhouse, while a historic contract extension with World Rugby through 2035 marked the longest commitment in the airline's 40-year sponsorship history and the first-ever Platinum Partnership in rugby.

Note to Editors

The full ranking, additional insights, charts, information about the methodology, and definitions of key terms are available in the ⁠⁠Brand Finance UAE 50 2026 report.

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