The third edition of the World Intangible Investment Highlights, co-published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and Luiss Business School, reveals that global investment in intangible assets has exceeded USD 10 trillion for the first time, underscoring the growing importance of knowledge-based capital in the world economy.

Launched at WIPO headquarters in Geneva on July 8th, the 2026 report presents new evidence on how investment in software, data, research and development, brands and organisational capital continue to outpace spending on physical assets. Across the 29 economies covered—representing around 57 per cent of global GDP—intangible investment grew at an average annual rate of 5.5 per cent between 2020 and 2025, compared with 3.2 per cent for tangible investment. Intangible assets now account for nearly 13 per cent of GDP, highlighting a sustained structural shift in global investment patterns.

This third edition also expands the Global INTAN-Invest Database with the first-ever estimates for Canada and the Philippines, while incorporating updated data for Brazil, India and Japan. The findings show that although the United States remains the world’s largest investor in intangible assets, strong growth is increasingly evident across emerging economies, reflecting the broader diffusion of innovation-driven investment.

The report was presented by Professor Cecilia Jona-Lasinio of Luiss Business School together with Carsten Fink, Sacha Wunsch-Vincent and Anmol Kaur Grewal from WIPO’s Department for Economics and Data Analytics during the global launch event attended by leading economists, policymakers and industry representatives.

A key theme of this year’s edition is the role of artificial intelligence in reshaping investment. The report argues that while AI is driving substantial spending on digital infrastructure, its longer-term economic impact will depend on investment in complementary intangible assets—including data, software, organisational capabilities, research and development, training and brands—which enable firms to translate technological advances into productivity gains.

Reflecting this year’s special focus, the launch concluded with a discussion on how brand investment can strengthen competitiveness and support firms in moving up global value chains. Bringing together experts from academia and industry, the panel explored the growing strategic importance of brands as drivers of innovation, value creation and economic resilience.

Produced under the WIPO – Luiss Business School Partnership on Intangible Assets in the Global Economy, the World Intangible Investment Highlights 2026 provides one of the most comprehensive international assessments of investment in intangible capital. As economies become increasingly driven by knowledge, technology and creativity, the report offers policymakers and business leaders new evidence on the changing sources of long-term growth.

To explore the report’s findings in full, read the World Intangible Investment Highlights 2026. For further information on the Global INTAN-Invest Database, including the methodology, country coverage and underlying data, visit our Data & Methods page.

Pictures: View of the presentation and discussion of key findings at the launch event of the World Intangible Investment Highlights 2026 report, which took place on the sidelines of the WIPO Assemblies, held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 7-15, 2026. Co-published by the WIPO and Luiss Business School, the report presents new data on global trends in intangible investment across economies and asset types, including software, data, brands, and design. Press release: Intangible Investment Tops USD 10 Trillion for the First Time, Growing More Than Three Times Faster Than Tangible Investment Full report: LINK Copyright: WIPO. Photo: Violaine Martin. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.