According to BrandZ’s (annual ranking published by Kantar, one of the world’s leading market research firms) latest study, Deutsche Telekom has maintained its position as Germany’s most valuable brand.
What parameters did the study use to assess brand value? Brand is defined as the trust, reputation, and goodwill a company builds in people’s minds. Kantar tried to evaluate that goodwill and trust: the higher the number on the score, the more valuable the brand was and the more competitive the company was in the marketplace.
The study, titled “Top 50 Most Valuable German Brands,” reports the venture’s current brand value at USD 124.6 billion, putting the company well ahead of SAP, Siemens, Aldi, BMW, and Lidl. Compared to 2025 (USD 105.7 billion), the company’s brand value has grown by approximately 18%. Since 2020 (USD 44.9 billion), the pace of increase has hit a remarkable 177.5%.
What is driving this growth? According to Kantar’s experts, three factors stand out. First, Deutsche Telekom has invested heavily in building and improving its network infrastructure, the physical backbone for calls, internet, and data services. Second, it has managed its brand consistently across different countries, not just in Germany. Third, it has run value-based campaigns at home, including anti-hate speech initiatives, which have helped position it as a company people can trust.
That last point matters a lot. The BrandZ study does not just crunch financial numbers. It also surveys consumers. By that measure, Deutsche Telekom is among the most popular and iconic brands in Germany.
Ulrich Klenke, Chief Brand Officer of Deutsche Telekom, highlighted the company’s commitment to continue investing in its network, expanding its services, and advancing in artificial intelligence (AI).
“Our brand continues to gain significant ground in both national and international competition. The crucial thing now is to continue setting the right strategic course,” the official remarked.
“The T stands for quality, reliability, and responsibility. We want to build on this. This means: targeted investments in our high-performance network infrastructure, in innovative products and our service, and in shaping digital sovereignty to reduce dependencies and expand value creation in our markets. At the same time, we are driving the democratisation of artificial intelligence and consistently developing our brand globally – towards even greater relevance, significance, and, above all, trust,” he added.
The broader picture for German brands is also encouraging. The combined value of Germany’s top 50 brands rose 13% to USD 571 billion this year, with 38 of the 50 brands increasing in value, a sign of resilience despite a slow-recovering economy.