American asset management brands dominate rankings, while the Gulf’s sovereign wealth fund brands emerge as leaders in brand strength

• BlackRock is the world’s most valuable asset management brand with a brand value of USD7.0 billion
• JP Morgan Asset Management is crowned as the world’s strongest asset management brand, with a BSI score of 87.4 and AAA rating
• BNP Paribas Asset Management leads among non-US brands for brand value, ranked 13th in the overall ranking
• HSBC Asset Management emerges as the strongest among non-US brands, followed by Deutsche Bank Asset Management and AXA Investment Managers
• UBS maintains brand strength despite Credit Suisse collapse
• Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the most valuable and second-strongest sovereign wealth fund in the world, behind only Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

Blackrock is the world’s most valuable asset management brand with a brand value of USD7.0 billion 

BlackRock, with a brand value of USD7.0 billion, has been crowned as the world’s most valuable asset management brand. This number one ranking reflects its status as the world’s largest money manager, with over USD9.0 trillion of assets under management (AuM). This brand value is a testament to BlackRock’s robust revenue growth, innovation, and products focused on meeting customer demand.

As a leader among the world’s asset management brands, BlackRock also ranked second in terms of brand strength, placing only behind JP Morgan Asset Management (brand value USD7.0 billion), earning a brand strength index (BSI) score of 87.1 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA rating. According to Brand Finance research, BlackRock scores notably high in the purpose metric (9.8) for brand strength, the highest of any brand in the study.

This suggests that despite having faced considerable criticism over its focus on ESG investment and culminating in several US state funds opting to divest from BlackRock, BlackRock’s sustainability initiatives are well-known among the informed public and B2B decision makers. Therefore, while these initiatives may be deemed controversial, they remain a key aspect of the BlackRock brand.

Savio D'Souza, Senior Director, Brand Finance commented:

The inaugural Brand Finance ranking of asset managers and sovereign wealth funds highlights the transformative value of branding, demonstrating how strategic brand management can enhance the global influence and operational success of these financial powerhouses.

JP Morgan Asset Management is crowned as the world’s strongest asset management brand, with a BSI score of 87.4 and AAA rating

JP Morgan Asset Management, the second most valuable brand featured in the ranking, has emerged as the world’s strongest asset management brand. Awarded an AAA rating, JP Morgan Asset Management boasts the highest BSI score at 87.4 out of 100, driven by exceptional scores in awareness (10.0) and performance (8.8). This brand strength reflects an excellent commercial track record and a fierce reputation for strong returns and risk management.

JP Morgan Asset Management has broadened its focus beyond investment banking in recent years, with the steadier, less-cyclical income of asset management driving the bank's expansion.

According to JP Morgan’s investor day report, the financial model boasts healthy inflows of AuM and 73% recurring revenues. This has led to JP Morgan Asset Management’s stock now outperforming competitors such as Goldman Sachs Asset Management (brand value USD3.6 billion).

BNP Paribas Asset Management leads among non-US brands for brand value, ranked 13th in the overall ranking

Of the 50 brands featured in the ranking, 28 hail from the US. France’s BNP Paribas Asset Management (brand value USD1.2 billion) is the most valuable asset management brand from outside of the United States (US), ranked 13th overall. In terms of brand strength, BNP Paribas Asset Management ranks 18th with a BSI of 63.9 out of 100 and a corresponding A+ rating. The brand’s BSI score is largely driven by BNP Paribas Asset Management’s perceived professionalism (8.1), reflecting perceptions of a high level of transparency, and an excellent corporate governance structure.

This is undoubtedly a reflection of BNP Paribas’ 2025 strategic plan, where BNP Paribas has consolidated its European leadership structure. BNP Paribas also notably highlights the volume of taxes they pay, arguing that these are civic duties. From 2018 to 2020, BNP Paribas paid EUR5.3bn in taxes in France alone.

HSBC Asset Management emerges as the strongest among non-US brands

With a BSI score of 76.3 out of 100, HSBC Asset Management (USD624 million) is the UK’s strongest and most valuable asset management brand, also emerging as the strongest brand from outside of the US.

These high BSI and brand value scores are ones to watch, as Chinese insurance giant and HSBC investor Ping An unsuccessfully campaigned for the bank to separate its Asian business. Ping An’s reasoning was that the separation would free the Asian operations from UK regulations and that it would bring balance to the investor’s belief that the profitable Asian business is subsidising weaker parts of the bank.

In May of 2024, Bloomberg reported that Ping An was weighing options to reduce its 8 percent, USD13.3 billion stake in HSBC – the contentious relationship may impact HSBC’s brand strength and value, depending on how it unfolds.

UBS maintains brand strength despite Credit Suisse collapse

UBS Group (USD656 million) has a very respectable BSI of 65.5, making it the sixth strongest European brand. This score owes to high levels of presence, particularly in the awareness metric, where UBS scores a 9.2. The brand was prominent in the media during its rapid acquisition of Credit Suisse, which was expedited by the Swiss government, a testament to UBS’ brand strength as perceived by regulators.

However, UBS scores notably poorly on attributes such as people (4.9) and professionalism (6.0). The bank has fought negative reputational perceptions dating back to before the 2007-2008 global financial crisis, but if UBS can capitalise on the story that they “rescued” a failing Credit Suisse, there may be an opportunity to boost perception of the UBS brand.

AXA Investment Managers (brand value USD349 million) is the third strongest European brand. It scores a BSI of 74.1, with an AA rating, and tenth globally. AXA’s BSI is driven by strong scores across presence, doing well in perceptions of awareness, familiarity, and advocacy. AXA recently completed the “Driving Progress 2023” Plan, and has implemented a new, ambitious strategy to “Unlock the Future”, focusing on driving growth, scaling excellence and expanding AXA’s role in society.

Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the most valuable and second-strongest sovereign wealth fund in the world, behind only Abu Dhabi Investment Authority

With a brand value of USD1.1 billion, Public Investment Fund (PIF) is the world’s most valuable sovereign wealth fund (SWF) brand. Through this unique approach to ranking asset managers and SWF funds, Brand Finance has revealed a novel and useful new insight: actively managed asset managers tend to have higher brand value to AuM rations. As the most active SWF by a large margin, PIF epitomises this trend with a brand value to AuM ratio that is almost double that of its nearest SWF competitor.

Looking ahead, PIF has ambitious growth prospects, aiming to reach USD2.0 trillion in AuM by 2030. This ambition has also turbocharged PIF’s brand value and brand strength as it has adopted bold investment strategies that contract other SWF brands. For example, PIF has garnered significant media coverage and brand awareness through the purchase of Newcastle United in the UK and the formation of professional men’s golf tour LIV. Ambitious “giga-projects” such as “The Line”, a futuristic 110-mile-long smart city, have also captured the public imagination. In the ranking, PIF emerged as the world’s second-strongest SWF brand with a BSI of 62.1 out of 100 and is one of only three SWF brands to earn an A+ brand strength rating. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (brand value USD561 million) ranked first among SWF brands for brand strength, also earned an A+ rating with a BSI of 63.9, having a longer heritage as it has been actively investing globally since 1976.

PIF’s position in the ranking is also a testament to its focus on future-proofing the Saudi economy through an initiative known as “Vision 2030”, which aims to diversify the kingdom’s economy. In a market historically dominated by oil, the initiative aims to create over 30 million private sector jobs. PIF deploys only 21% of its assets outside of the KSA, a significant contrast to other leading SWFs, such as Norway’s NBIM (brand value USD859 million), that only invest outside of their countries. PIF is also the 15th most valuable brand in a combined ranking of both asset managers and SWFs, a reflection of how PIF leadership envisions the fund as an asset manager, SWF, and a national development entity.