GENEVA, (Pakistan Point News - 08th Jul, 2026) The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) revealed that investments in intangible assets in 2025 passed US$ 10 trillion for the first time, growing more than three times faster than investments in tangible assets.
Daren Tang, Director General of WIPO, told the Sixty-Eighth Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the WIPO Member States that: '' Our data and engagement shows a growing convergence in how the world views and uses IP as IP moves from the periphery to the center. Even more striking is how broadly this momentum is being shared. Alongside established innovation leaders like the United States, Japan and Germany, emerging economies including India, the Philippines and Brazil are seeing strong and consistent growth in intangible investment.''
More broadly,he said, trade in IP crossed US$ 1.2 trillion last year, more than doubling since 2010, with the United States, China and Japan leading but also with Mexico and Türkiye amongst the biggest IP traders.
''Trade in global cultural goods is at a record 250 billion US Dollars, with global culture increasingly shaped by Afrobeats, Latin pop and K-pop, as well as movies and animation from Asia, Africa and Latin America,'' he added.
''So in a world where immense opportunity is being offered to us through the power of IP to harness innovation and creativity, where IP can help to share and scale value, and where more and more countries are embracing IP as a path to prosperity, growth and development, WIPO can be a place where we win together.''
Time and again, he continued, the world has been transformed politically, economically, culturally and technologically. Yet the IP system has not only endured, it has evolved, adapted and grown stronger because it has remained faithful to its essential purpose of serving the human innovator and creator.
''We will remain true to this purpose and together we will continue building a world where IP is for everyone, everywhere,'' he emphasised.
On the WIPO activities, he noted that since 2020, the WIPO academy has trained over 800,000 people, and 1.3 million together with the IP Training institutes. More than 100,000 small and medium enterprises have used our IP Diagnostics Tool, including 60,000 in the past year alone.
''Our network of 1,800 Technology and Innovation Support Centers responded to more than 2.5 million requests last year in close to 100 countries. And we have crossed 25,000 beneficiaries from our tailored IP projects around the world, projects that last 6-12 months, not just in developing regions but also in developed countries.''
