For the first time on record, the world invested more than USD 10 trillion in intangible assets in a single year.
For the first time on record, global spend on intangible assets crossed USD 10 trillion in a single year. WIPO and Italy’s Luiss Business School report that intangible investment grew more than three times faster than spend on machinery and buildings in 2025, confirming that software, data, and brands are now the dominant drivers of business value.
For companies across the UAE, GCC, India, and UK, the message is direct: if brands, data, and software are what investors now value most, protecting and registering those assets is no longer optional
What Is the WIPO Intangible Investment Report?
Now in its third edition, the joint WIPO-Luiss report draws on the Global INTAN-Invest Database, covering 29 economies representing 57 percent of world GDP. It tracks investment in trademarks, brands, software, data, and organizational capital, categories that rarely appear in official statistics.
Intangible assets are non-physical assets that generate value, including trademarks, brands, software, data, and patents. Most only hold enforceable legal value once formally registered.
How Much Did Intangible Investment Grow?
Intangible investment grew 5.5 percent annually between 2020 and 2025, against 3.2 percent for tangible investment, and now accounts for nearly 13 percent of GDP across the economies studied. The US alone invested nearly USD 5 trillion in 2025, close to half the global total.
Which Countries Lead the World in Intangible Investment?
- United States: nearly USD 5 trillion in 2025, the global leader.
- Japan: USD 810 billion in 2024, now second globally, ahead of Germany.
- Germany: USD 695 billion in 2024.
- India: 5.3 percent annual growth over the past decade, outpacing several high income economies.
- Brazil: USD 312 billion invested in 2023.
India, the Philippines, and Brazil’s inclusion at this scale shows intangible growth is now a global standard, not just a high income economy trend.
How Is AI Changing Intangible Investment?
The report identifies two AI driven waves: a tangible wave of data centers and semiconductors, and a broader intangible wave in data, software, R&D, brands, and organizational capital. WIPO notes AI’s lasting economic impact will come more from this intangible layer than from the infrastructure beneath it.
Why Does This Matter for Trademark and Brand Protection?
A brand built without a registered trademark, or software developed without documented IP ownership, remains commercially vulnerable no matter how much was invested in building it. This is especially relevant across the UAE, GCC, India, and UK, where:
- Trademark rights are jurisdiction specific and do not transfer automatically between GCC countries.
- Unregistered brands can be filed by third parties first in first-to-file jurisdictions.
- Investors increasingly run IP due diligence before funding rounds or acquisitions.
What Should Businesses Do Next?
- Audit existing trademarks, software, and data assets to identify what is unregistered.
- Register trademarks in every jurisdiction of operation or expansion.
- Document IP ownership for software and creative work from employees or contractors.
- Review IP protection ahead of any funding round, acquisition, or market entry
Protect What You Are Building
Global capital is choosing brands, data, and intellectual property over bricks and machinery. Businesses that fail to legally secure these assets risk building value they cannot defend or transfer.
Build Value. Protect It. Grow with Confidence.
With over 15 years of experience in trademark registration and intellectual property protection, Legacy Partners helps businesses secure the assets that matter most. Contact our team today to get started. info@legacypartners.global
