Brand Finance estimates 83% of global intangible asset value as not disclosed on balance sheets
- Three of Australia’s top 10 most intangible companies are banks
- Macquire holds the fourth highest intangible value in Australia’s banking sector, Telstra ranks first in telecoms sector
- NVIDIA becomes company with highest intangible value globally at $4.3 trillion
SYDNEY, 13 November 2025 – In 2025, the value of intangible assets owned by the world’s largest companies has reached USD97.6 trillion, according to a new report from Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. This represents a 23% increase from 2024, now reaching its highest level since Brand Finance began tracking it in 1996.
The Brand Finance methodology relies on the enterprise value of firms to determine implied intangible asset value because most intangible asset value is not reported by the owner companies. This lack of reporting is why 83% of estimated total global intangible asset value is unaccounted for in company financial reports.
Every year, the Brand Finance Global Intangible Finance Tracker (GIFT™) report tracks the value of the world’s largest companies by intangible asset value. Intangible assets are identifiable, non-monetary assets without physical substance. Intangible assets can be grouped into three broad categories: rights (including leases, agreements, contracts), relationships (including a trained workforce), and intellectual property (including brands, patents, copyrights).
Brand Finance’s research data reveals the Commonwealth Bank of Australia as the nation’s most intangible company recording a 43% growth in intangible value in 2025.
This is in line with broader global trends as data reveals that Banking has recorded the largest growth in terms of total intangible value and is now the sector with the eighth-highest intangible value, more than doubling (+131%) since 2024 to reach USD5.6 trillion in 2025.
This surge highlights how the sector is increasingly driven by data and digital-firsts, fintech-driven services and models, with the banks’ undisclosed intangible value rising from 5% in 2024 to 18% of total enterprise value. As banks continue to embrace digital innovation, intangible assets are becoming ever more crucial to sustaining their competitive edge.
Three of Australia’s top 10 most intangible companies are banks, including the National Australia Bank and Westpac Banking corporation. The Australian banking sector has recorded a 30% increase in total intangible value in 2025.
Meanwhile, Macquire holds the fourth highest intangible value in the Australian banking sector with USD32 million, marking an 8% increase from 2024, which puts it in the 11th spot overall in the country’s intangible value ranking.
In the telecoms sector, Telstra takes the top spot with an intangible value of USD35 million, a growth of 32% since 2024, making it the eighth highest in Australia overall and the only telecommunications company in Australia’s top 10 list.
Mark Crowe, Managing Director Australia, Brand Finance, commented:
“Intangible assets like brand, data and technology are becoming the real drivers of competitiveness. The rise in intangible value reflects an economy that is modernising fast, with businesses investing in long-term capability rather than short-term performance. That shift is setting the tone for Australia’s future growth story.”
Annie Brown, Valuation Director, Brand Finance, commented:
“Record-high global intangible asset value in 2025 underscores the accelerating role of innovation, driving greater investment in intellectual property, data, and brands. That said, notable drops across several sectors like pharma and oil & gas highlight the volatility faced when investing in firms with high intangible exposure. This serves as a reminder that businesses should pay active attention to their intangible assets – among the most powerful drivers of commercial outcomes.”
On a global level, the U.S. has overtaken Denmark to become the most intangible market in the world. The total intangible value of the U.S. market stands at 78%, while Denmark’s intangibility has dropped from 82% in 2024 to 67% in 2025.
Data from Brand Finance reveals that NVIDIA is the company with the highest intangible value globally, increasing 50% to USD4.3 trillion. Moreover, eight of the world’s top 10 companies with the highest intangible value are based in the U.S., with Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet ranked second through fifth for intangible value and as key contributors to the country’s high intangible value.
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