United States Leads $10 Trillion Global Intangible Investment Surge, WIPO Reports

The World Intellectual Property Organization's 2026 World Intangible Investment Highlights report shows global intangible investment surpassed $10 trillion in 2025, a record high. The United States accounted for almost $5 trillion, roughly half of the total, with Japan and Germany following. Intangible assets—covering research and development, software, data, brands, design and organisational capital—now represent about 13 % of GDP across the 29 economies studied, growing at an average 5.5 % annual rate since 2020, outpacing tangible‑asset growth of 3.2 %. Sweden recorded the highest share of intangible assets relative to GDP at 17.4 %, followed by the United States (15.6 %) and France (15.2 %). The report links the surge to the AI boom, noting that while AI spurs physical infrastructure spending, its lasting impact lies in software, data, R&D and corporate reorganisation. Brands attracted $1.4 trillion of investment, with the United States leading at $566 billion. Brazil invested $312 billion in intangible assets in 2023, placing it among the larger national investors. The data suggest intangible assets are more resilient to high interest rates, trade tensions and economic slowdown than tangible assets.