PCT Patent Filings – What Can Be Learned from the Very Modest Growth in 2025April 8, 2026

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) reported its data regarding 2025 international patent filings with the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which showed modest growth. Approximately 275,900 PCT applications were filed in 2025, a 0.7% increase over 2024 filings. This was the second consecutive year of growth for PCT filings.

Is this a signal of resiliency in the global innovation activity and investment in patent protection? Are entities prioritizing patent protection during times of economic uncertainty? I’ll share here my thoughts on the most noteworthy trends from the WIPO reporting.

First things first, should we consider this ‘growth’? These very modest growth numbers could be seen as stagnation. Instead of arguing semantics here, this slight increase in 2025 filings indicates that PCT growth has slowed compared to prior decades. This does not ‘feel’ surprising as 2025 was a year with unique economic pressures in the global economy, including supply chain disruptions and shifting industrial policies worldwide. Each of these are certain to have contributed to the relatively flat growth in PCT filings since 2020.

Regardless, the continued (albeit slight) rise in PCT filings highlights the enduring role and importance of intellectual property in the global economy. Therefore, growth is not the most interesting finding of this report, in my opinion. Other more compelling data reported by WIPO were the technology areas as well as the countries and geographies showing continued growth and utilization of the PCT.

In terms of areas of technology exhibiting growth in their share of international patent activity, the biggest growers were digital communication (11.1% overall), computer technology (9.6%), and other electrical machinery-related technologies (9%). These would include, for example, wireless infrastructure, advanced computing, and artificial intelligence (AI).

When looking at global innovation geographies that continue to dominate the PCT filings, Asia has become the dominant source of PCT filings, driven by China (#1), Japan (#3), and the Republic of Korea (#4). Although the United States ranked #2 in both 2024 and 2025, the 2025 filings with the US Receiving Office for the PCT dropped slightly. See excerpt from Annex 1 of WIPO report below showing top countries of origin, as well as except from Annex 2 showing top applicants by country. These countries continue to play a major role in the growth of PCT filings extending over the last decade. There is a strong emphasis on technologies in the electrical engineering and digital technologies.

Annex 1: International patent applications by origin (PCT System)

Annex 2: Top PCT Applicants

For innovators and companies operating in technology-intensive sectors, the message is clear from the WIPO reporting: international patent strategy continues to be a critical component of maintaining competitive advantage in an increasingly globalized innovation landscape. As technologies develop within and reshape industries and markets, the PCT system remains a key tool for those seeking to secure international patent protection.

I always enjoy tracking the trends exhibited from the PCT system, as it remains a critical (and highly utilized) tool for innovators and patent applicants to pursue international patent protection. If you would like more information about how the PCT is leveraged to file a single international application that is later filed as separate foreign filings in a number of countries, please contact one of our patent attorneys or agents.

The PCT is a great tool to simplify and streamline foreign filing costs as well as reduce upfront administrative complexity as an early-stage global patent strategy. Here are a few considerations for innovators and patent applicants using the PCT as a global patent filing tool:

1. Use PCT to Defer Foreign Filing Costs                                                 

The PCT allows applicants to delay most country-specific costs until the national phase, which is generally 30 or 31 months from the earliest priority date. This delay can provide time to assess commercial viability before investing to expensive country-by-country filing and patent prosecution costs.

• Use the PCT’s Search Report for Early Patentability Opinion

The PCT process includes an International Search Report and Written Opinion that gives an early assessment of patentability, including novelty and non-obviousness. Having this early patentability assessment allows time to decide whether to continue forward with the patent process.

• Provides an Opportunity to Make Strategic Amendments

Once the early patentability opinion is received there are options to amend the PCT claims before entering national offices. This can provide economic benefits and future streamlined prosecution later, particularly in countries that give weight to the International Preliminary Report on Patentability.

• Coordinate PCT Timing with Business Milestones

The PCT timelines with its built-in delay for foreign filings can be coordinated, where possible, with product development and/or launch, funding-related events, regulatory milestones, and/or other licensing or business decisions. The additional time provided gives innovators and patent applicants additional development time, opportunity to gather market data, partnership commitments, etc. before deciding on the scope of global protection desired.

Used thoughtfully, the PCT system is more than a filing mechanism. It can be a strategic tool for timing and cost controls that can allow you to refine patent claims and scope after receiving patentability assessment, evaluate commercial value, as well as plan for and allocate IP budgets in the global filing stage.

Additional detail on the WIPO report is available at: https://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2026/article_0003.html?utm_source=WIPO+Newsletters&utm_campaign=94b9ca04f9-NMD_PRESSRELEASE_946WIPR_EN_170226_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-d868b2138e-256958346.

PLC. Jill Link is a Partner and Chairwoman of the Firm’s Foreign Department is available at jill.link@ipmvs.com.

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