International patent applications filed through WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) rose 0.7% in 2025 to reach 275,900 filings worldwide, marking a second consecutive year of growth. The increase was partly due to robust activity in ICT related fields, with digital communication remaining as the top category (11.1%) of published PCT applications, while semiconductors recorded one of the fastest growth rates among all leading areas of international patents.
These trends reflect the continued rise in digital technologies as an engine of innovative activity and economic development, with the increasing investments in and deployment of Artificial Intelligence helping to fuel this growth.
International patent filings - particularly in digital communication and semiconductor technologies - reflects how digital technologies continue to drive the global innovation landscape.
AI is the latest engine of this growth and will increasingly transform how we innovate. In this world of shortened innovation and business cycles, WIPO will work hard to ensure that our Global IP Services keeps pace with the changing expectations of our customers, making what we offer more efficient, more digital and more customer centered, so that entrepreneurs and enterprises can continue using the PCT, Madrid and Hague systems to secure IP protection across borders.
Other prominent fields include computer technology (9.6%), electrical machinery (9.0%), medical technology (6.3%) and pharmaceuticals (4.3%) (Annex 4 
). Together, these five fields represented just over 40% of all published PCT applications. Among the top 10 technology fields, digital communication (+6.1%) and semiconductors (+6.1%) saw the fastest growth rates in 2025.
In the international trademark system, the most specified class in international applications received under WIPO’s Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks covered computer hardware and software and other electrical or electronic apparatus, accounting for 10.8% of the 2025 total. It was followed by the class covering business services (8.5%) and the one relating to scientific and technological services (7.9%). And the largest share of total designs received under WIPO’s Hague System for the International Registration of Industrial Designs was in recording and communication equipment (13.2%), closely followed by means of transport (8.0%) and packages and containers (7.9%).
International patent system (Patent Cooperation Treaty – PCT)
Top PCT filers
International patent filings through the PCT reached 275,900 in 2025, representing a 0.7% increase over 2024 and continuing a two-year growth trajectory.
China contributed the largest volume with 73,718 applications, expanding its activity by 5.3%. The US submitted 52,617 applications, followed by Japan with 47,922, the Republic of Korea with 25,016 and Germany with 16,441 (Annex 1 ).
Filing trends varied by region. China and the Republic of Korea posted growth of 5.3% and 4.9% respectively, with the Republic of Korea extending an unbroken 28-year growth trend. Meanwhile, more established innovation hubs showed modest contractions: the US declined 3.0% (its fourth consecutive year of decline), Japan fell 1.0% (third consecutive year) and Germany decreased 1.8% (also its third successive year).
Huawei Technologies led all filers with 7,523 published applications, maintaining this position since 2017. Samsung Electronics filed 4,698 applications, followed by Qualcomm (3,227), LG Electronics (2,400) and Contemporary Amperex Technology (2,203) (Annex 2 ). Among the top 100 filing organizations, Japan accounts for 32 entities, China for 24 and the US for 17.
Among the top 10 applicants, Huawei Technologies recorded the fastest growth in 2025, with an increase of 923 published applications. LG Energy Solution (+506 applications) also posted substantial growth. Outside the top 10, India’s Jio Platforms (+971 applications), Finland’s Nokia Technologies (+470), Japan’s NTT Docomo (+459) and China’s Beijing Zitiao Network Technologies (+373) all entered the top 20.
Overall, 16 of the top 20 applicants operate in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. The remaining four—Contemporary Amperex Technology, LG Energy Solution, Mitsubishi Electric and Germany’s Robert Bosch—are active primarily in energy, industrial and automotive technologies.
In the education sector, the University of California retained its top position in 2025, with 488 published PCT applications. It was followed by Tsinghua University with 227 applications, the University of Texas System with 226, Stanford University with 179, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with 170 (Annex 3 ).
International trademark system (Madrid System)
Top Madrid filers
The total number of international trademark applications filed under WIPO’s Madrid System declined by 1.5% in 2025, totaling 64,150 applications. US-based applicants (10,997 applications) filed the largest number of international trademark applications, followed by those located in Germany (6,106), China (5,636), France (4,026) and the UK (3,871) (Annex 5 ).
Seven of the top ten countries of origin filed fewer Madrid applications in 2025 than in 2024. Italy recorded the sharpest decline (–10.6%), followed by Germany (–5.3%), China (–4.9%) and France (–4.4%). For both France and Germany, this marks the fourth consecutive year-on-year declines in filings.
L'Oréal of France retained its position as the leading Madrid System filer for the fifth consecutive year in 2025, submitting a total of 274 applications. Light & Wonder of the US followed, climbing 38 places to become the second-largest filer with 105 applications. Rounding out the top five were Krka, Tovarna Zdravil of Slovenia (101 applications), Huawei Technologies of China (97) and Merck Sharp & Dohme of the Netherlands (95).
Overall, eight of the top ten companies recorded growth in Madrid application filings between 2024 and 2025. Light & Wonder and the UK-based Glaxo Group posted notable increases, with filings rising by 70 and 61 applications, respectively. Novartis AG of Switzerland – the second largest filer in 2024 – submitted 126 fewer applications in 2025, causing it to fall outside the top five for the first time since 2006 (Annex 6 ).
International design system (Hague System)
Top Hague filers
In 2025, WIPO's Hague System for the international protection of industrial designs saw applications increase by 9.4% and designs contained in those applications grew by 5.2% to reach 28,588 designs – a record number. This reflects fifth consecutive year of expansion of the Hague System.
China led in design filings in 2025 with 5,911 designs, followed by Germany (4,530 designs), the US (3,882), Switzerland (2,285) and Italy (2,015) (Annex 7 ). Four of the top five origins recorded growth, with the US increasing by 27.5% and China by 21.4%. Italy decreased by 10.4%.
Notable filing volume changes included substantial increases from Huawei Technologies and Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software and from Apple in the US. Ferrari filed fewer designs in 2025 compared to 2024.
Huawei Technologies filed the highest number of published designs in 2025, with 1,200 designs included in applications. Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software filed 659 designs, Procter & Gamble filed 613 designs (28 fewer than in 2024), Philips Electronics filed 540 designs and Samsung Electronics filed 525 designs (Annex 8 ).
Among the top 10 applicants, five operate in the ICT and consumer electronics sector, two in consumer goods, two in automotive, and one in construction.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
In results released earlier this year, the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (WIPO AMC) reported that in 2025 it was involved in the resolution of 1,461 intellectual property, innovation, and technology disputes, marking an increase of 70% from 2024, while trademark owners filed 6,282 cases under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) and national ccTLD variations.
About WIPO
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the United Nations agency that serves the world’s innovators and creators, ensuring that their ideas travel safely to the market and improve lives everywhere.
We do so by providing services that enable creators, innovators and entrepreneurs to protect and promote their intellectual property (IP) across borders and acting as a forum for addressing cutting-edge IP issues. Our IP data and information guide decisionmakers the world over. And our impact-driven projects and technical assistance ensure IP benefits everyone, everywhere.
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