The Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs released on November 17, 2025 the “Comparative Analysis of 2024 Patent Filing Trends between the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and TIPO.” In 2024, WIPO received approximately 273,900 PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) invention patent applications, representing a slight increase of 0.5% compared with 2023. TIPO received 50,823 invention patent applications, remaining essentially unchanged from 2023 (-0.1%). These results indicate that Taiwan’s innovation capacity remains solid, with overall R&D momentum continuing to grow steadily (see Figure 1).
 
China and Taiwan Nationals Are the Largest Sources of Invention Patent Filings at WIPO and TIPO, Respectively
In 2024, among the countries and regions filing PCT invention patent applications with WIPO, China remained the largest contributor with 70,160 filings, followed by the United States (54,087), Japan (48,397), South Korea (23,851), and Germany (16,721). China posted a modest increase of 0.9%, while South Korea recorded the highest annual growth at 7.1%. In contrast, the United States, Japan, and Germany saw declines ranging from 1.2% to 2.8% (see Figure 2).
 
At TIPO, domestic applicants filed the most invention patent applications (19,586), followed by applicants from Japan (12,307), the United States (6,817), China (3,472), South Korea (3,365), and Germany (1,035). Filings by Taiwanese applicants remained stable (-0.2%), while those from Japan and China dropped by 1.6% and 8.8%, respectively. In contrast, filings from the United States, South Korea, and Germany increased by 1.3% to 8.5% (see Figure 2).
 
“Digital Communications” Becomes WIPO’s Top Technology Field; “Semiconductors” Remain No. 1 at TIPO
In 2024, “Digital Communications” became the largest technology field among WIPO PCT invention patent applications, accounting for 10.5% of laid open cases and surpassing “Computer Technology” (9.7%) and “Electrical Machinery and Energy” (8.6%) (see Figure 3). From 2020 to 2024, the share of “Digital Communications” rose from 8.3% to 10.5%, reflecting applicants’ active global patent deployment. “Electrical Machinery and Energy” also increased significantly, from 6.6% to 8.6%, highlighting the global trend of technological convergence. By contrast, “Computer Technology” increased from 9.2% in 2020 to 10.4% in 2022, but then gradually declined to 9.7% by 2024 (see Figure 4).
 
At TIPO, “Semiconductors” (15.1%) remained the leading field in 2024, followed by “Computer Technology” (8.2%) and “Electrical Machinery and Energy” (6.8%) (see Figure 3). From 2020 to 2024, the share of “Semiconductors” increased sharply from 11.9% to 15.1%, underscoring Taiwan’s critical role in the global semiconductor supply chain. Meanwhile, “Computer Technology” declined from 9.9% to 8.2%, and “Electrical Machinery and Energy” grew at a slower pace (see Figure 4), suggesting that Taiwan should continue strengthening patent deployment in emerging areas such as AI and energy technologies.
 
Major Countries Emphasize “Digital Communications,” “Computer Technology,” and “Electrical Machinery and Energy” at WIPO, While Their Filings at TIPO Concentrate on “Semiconductors”
In 2024, China (18.0%) and South Korea (13.3%) filed the highest proportion of their PCT applications in the field of “Digital Communications.” The United States focused primarily on “Computer Technology” (12.6%), while Japan (11.9%) and Germany (12.1%) concentrated on “Electrical Machinery and Energy.” Further analysis shows that China, the United States, Japan, and South Korea all recorded significant increases in their filings in “Digital Communications” compared with 2023, indicating notable innovation breakthroughs and heightened global competition in communication technologies. Among these major countries, China exhibited the largest increase in “Electrical Machinery and Energy,” reflecting its active deployment of battery and energy-related technologies globally (see Figure 5).
 
In 2024, applicants from Taiwan (15.7%), China (10.5%), the United States (14.6%), Japan (15.4%), and South Korea (29.1%) all filed the largest share of their applications with TIPO in the “Semiconductors” category, while German applicants filed the highest share in “Basic Materials Chemistry” (8.8%). Overall, the share of “Semiconductors” increased for U.S. and South Korean applicants in Taiwan compared with 2023, declined for China, and remained stable for Taiwanese and Japanese applicants. Meanwhile, China increased its share in “Computer Technology” but reduced in “Pharmaceuticals,” whereas the United States showed the opposite trend, highlighting differences in national patent deployment priorities (see Figure 6).
 
Huawei Leads PCT Filings with WIPO; TSMC Ranks First at TIPO
In 2024, among the top 10 PCT invention patent applicants received by WIPO, China’s Huawei ranked first with 6,600 filings, followed by South Korea’s Samsung Electronics (4,640) and U.S.-based Qualcomm (3,848). China’s Xiaomi appeared in the top 10 for the first time with 1,889 filings. In terms of growth, Samsung Electronics (+18.2%) and Xiaomi (+17.8%) recorded the most significant increases, while Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric saw a 9.1% decline (see Figure 7).
 
At TIPO, TSMC remained the top applicant with 1,279 filings, followed by Samsung Electronics (1,013) and U.S.-based Applied Materials (864). The Netherlands’ ASML entered Taiwan’s top 10 for the first time with 355 filings. Among the companies showing the strongest growth, South Korea’s Coupang (+85.4%) exhibited the most notable increase, followed by ASML (+37.6%) and Samsung Electronics (+35.6%). TSMC, however, experienced a 19.2% decrease from 2023 (see Figure 7).
 
PCT Applicants Concentrate on “Digital Communications,” While Applicants in Taiwan Focus Predominantly on “Semiconductors”
In 2024, the top 10 PCT applicants largely concentrated their filings in “Digital Communications.” Huawei, Samsung Electronics, Qualcomm, LG Electronics, Xiaomi, and Ericsson all filed heavily in this area, with proportions ranging from 32.2% to 89.9%. Among them, Xiaomi (96.2%) and Ericsson (89.3%) had nearly 90% of their filings concentrated in their top three technology fields. However, their shares specifically in “Digital Communications” were 89.9% and 63.0%, respectively, reflecting differing deployment strategies (see Figure 8).
 
At TIPO, TSMC, Samsung Electronics, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, and Nanya Technology all had “Semiconductors” as their primary field, accounting for 43.3% to 79.9% of their filings. TSMC (91.4%) and Nanya Technology (93.7%) each had more than 90% of their filings concentrated in their top three technology fields, indicating strong specialization in semiconductors. South Korea’s Coupang (96.7%) also reported a concentration exceeding 90%, primarily in “Information Management Methods,” reflecting a different deployment strategy (see Figure 9).
 
 
Note: The figures cited in the text can be downloaded from the following URL: https://www.tipo.gov.tw/tw/tipo1/799-65974.html.
 
(This is a summarized and translated version of a news release published on the TIPO website.)