The most valuable brands in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have built their collective value by 20% in the last year to reach US$127 billion, according to Kantar, the world's leading data, analytics and AI company. This is the highest recorded brand value since the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Emirati and Saudi Brands rankings were launched in 2020 and is equivalent to 6.3% of the two markets’ combined GDP.
Despite global economic growth being constrained over the past year, the economies in Saudi and the UAE have proved resilient. The strongest brands in these markets have continued to build and sustain growth momentum, through understanding and meeting consumers’ changing needs – particularly through the creation of integrated digital ecosystems that seamlessly connect multiple aspects of consumers’ daily lives.
Saudi’s Al Rajhi Bank remains the most valuable brand across the region for the third consecutive year, increasing its value by 21% to $20.3bn, supported by resilient financial performance, an expanding market share, and a customer base that continues to grow. With a history dating back to 1957, the bank has moved fast to digitise its services: today, 97% of new customers sign up online, and 75% of all active customers use digital channels.
The overall fastest riser is Emirates NBD from the UAE, with a brand value gain of 65% that takes it to $2.6bn. ENBD X emerged as a major growth engine for Emirates NBD, reaching 1.6 million customers and offering 220+ digital services by the end of 2025. The platform supported over 100,000 account openings annually and helped add 2.8 million net new customers. Emirates NBD also became the first UAE bank to exceed AED 1 trillion in assets, cementing its market leadership. BrandZ data shows Emirates NBD is now named as the first-choice brand in its category by one third (32%) of people in the country.
Financial Services and Telecom Providers emerged as the strongest-performing sectors, with 19 brands contributing nearly three-quarters of the combined brand value of the Saudi Top 20 and Emirati Top 10. Most brands have grown in value, with Financial Services brands worth on average 17% more than in 2025. Already deeply important to the region’s development, these two sectors continue to build momentum by taking advantage of opportunities to launch new digital and AI services, innovate at scale, and expand into new spaces.
UAE’s Top 10 brands power ahead as e& accelerates ecosystem-led growth
Collectively, the UAE’s Top 10 have increased in value by 28% to $51.3bn, with every brand seeing a rise. Telecom provider e& once again leads the Emirati ranking, with a 36% value uplift that has been driven by continued expansion beyond its core strength into the delivery of a broader digital life and technology ecosystem. Its international presence is strong; it now has over 250 million subscribers across 38 countries.
Emirates continues to strengthen its position as a global aviation leader by consistently delivering a premium customer experience that brings its brand promise to life at every stage of the journey, from booking to arrival. Strategic investments in fleet modernisation are complemented by distinctive products, services and touchpoints that create both functional value and emotional connection for customers.
Leading Saudi brands maintain momentum, with stc emerging as the fastest-growing brand
The Top 20 Most Valuable Saudi Brands have grown by 15% to $75.7bn, with the increase stemming from just a few high-performing brands in two key categories – Financial Services and Telecom Providers – while Retail brands came under pressure. The top six brands have held onto the same positions year-on-year, with five increasing their value, highlighting their stability and strength.
stc is the fastest-growing Saudi brand, with a 31% value rise driven by an ecosystem that spans next-generation connectivity, digital finance services, and AI capabilities. Its evolution from telecoms leader to digital enabler has allowed it to amplify its relevance across customers’ lives by entering new spaces. Building on the success of stc pay, the brand transitioned into regulated banking through STC Bank.
Beyond the local ranking, Saudi Arabia is also represented on the global stage by Aramco. While its brand strength is primarily rooted in the B2B sector, placing it outside the consumer-facing scope of the Saudi and Emirati rankings, Aramco is the only Middle Eastern brand in the 2026 Kantar BrandZ Global Top 100, ranking No.34. Its presence reflects the growing strength and influence of brands from the region worldwide.
Saudi and Emirati brands have demonstrated an exceptional ability to navigate uncertainty and create value in a rapidly changing world. The strongest brands are those that turn intelligence into action, using a deep understanding of people, culture and markets to deliver meaningful, differentiated experiences. BrandZ data suggests there is significant headroom for further growth, with consumer perceptions indicating strong potential to increase value share over the next 12 months. To capitalise on this opportunity, brands must continually read the signals shaping demand, anticipate emerging needs, and combine technology, creativity and human understanding to deliver products and services that make a meaningful difference in consumers’ lives.
More insights from the 2026 Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Emirati and Saudi Brands report include:
- Brands with strong Future Power significantly outperformed their peers, growing more than 10 times faster than average. Future Power reflects a brand's ability to drive future growth by being both Meaningful and Different to consumers.
- The region's leading brands are matching the growth trajectory of the Kantar BrandZ Global Top 100. Since 2020, both rankings have grown by an average of 17% per year, with Middle Eastern brands continuing to build value faster than the Top 30 brands from many established markets, including China (+16%), Germany (+13%) and Canada (+10%).
- Brands that strengthened their Pricing Power achieved growth at twice the rate of their peers. Pricing Power reflects a brand's ability to command a premium by delivering superior functional and emotional benefits that consumers perceive as worth paying more for.
The 2026 Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Emirati and Saudi Brands rankings, full report and in-depth analysis are now available at: www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz/uae-ksa
For category-level competitive insights, Kantar’s free BrandSnapshot tool, powered by BrandZ, offers at-a-glance intelligence on 15,000 brands worldwide. Explore it here.
