Allianz has been dubbed a “fastest riser” after cracking the top 30 in a list of the 100 most valuable brands in the world, while Axa has retained its top-50 spot.

Munich-headquartered Allianz entered the top 100 of the Interbrand rankings in 2007 and aspires to be a top 25 business.

It is now in 29th spot, just behind Ikea, with a valuation up 13% to $US23.5 billion ($35.11 billion). It ranks above brands including Visa, Pepsi, Sony, PayPal, Gucci, Audi and Porsche.

Axa is 48th, one behind General Electric, with a valuation of $US16.8 billion ($25.1 billion). It ranks above businesses including Starbucks, Goldman Sachs, Lego, eBay, Cartier, Volkswagen and Ford.

Interbrand says the business environment is now marked by “the fast beating the slow” and that the “rules didn’t change – it’s a totally different game”. 

“People are more informed, more connected, more demanding and more fragmented than ever before as a result of forces that are likely to continue to reshape the way categories evolve, businesses compete and people choose,” Interbrand said. 

“Agile and nimble competitors are often better placed to make ambitious first moves. The rewards for early movers can be significant.”

The top three global brands are Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.