Philippines Ranks Among Top Fastest-Growing Economies for Intangible Asset Investments, WIPO Report Shows

The Philippines has distinguished itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies in terms of investments in knowledge-based intangible assets, according to the 2026 World Intangible Investment Highlights (WIIH) report published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in partnership with Luiss Business School.

The report, released in July 2026, reveals that the Philippines generated US$49.1 billion in intangible investments in 2022. Over the decade spanning 2012 to 2022, the country’s real intangible investments expanded at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9 percent, outpacing the global average of 3.5 percent.

Despite a slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, intangible investments in the Philippines rebounded strongly with a 4.6 percent increase between 2021 and 2022. This growth rate ranked third among the 29 economies surveyed, trailing only India and Japan.

The WIIH report tracks investments in a range of intangible assets including research and development (R&D), software and databases, organizational know-how, brands, design, and other intellectual property. These assets are increasingly recognized as key drivers of productivity, innovation, and sustainable economic growth.

Among these categories, R&D investments in the Philippines recorded the fastest growth, expanding at a remarkable 20.1 percent CAGR over the past decade. Investment in software and databases followed closely with an 18.3 percent CAGR, positioning the Philippines as the fastest-growing economy globally in this category.

Although R&D and software together constitute roughly 15 percent of the country’s total intangible investments, spending in these sectors has increased more than fivefold over the last ten years. This surge reflects the Philippines’ accelerating digital transformation and expanding innovation capacity.

Organizational capital remains the largest intangible asset category in the Philippines, accounting for 48.3 percent of total intangible investments. Brands represent the second-largest share at 28.9 percent.

The report also highlights the rising importance of brand investments in an increasingly artificial intelligence-driven global economy. Across the 29 economies surveyed, brand investments reached US$1.4 trillion, with the Philippines ranking among the top 12 countries by investing US$14.2 billion in brands.

Despite the rapid growth in intangible assets, traditional physical investments continue to dominate the Philippine economy. Tangible investments account for approximately 20 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), while intangible investments represent 4.4 percent of GDP. This investment profile is typical of an economy that is still heavily investing in infrastructure while steadily expanding its knowledge base.

Teodoro C. Pascua, Director General of the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines, emphasized the significance of these findings as the country embarks on its next phase as an upper-middle-income economy.

"The experience of advanced economies shows that sustained investments in knowledge, technology, and intellectual property become the strongest drivers of productivity and growth. As the Philippines enters upper-middle-income status, our rapid gains in R&D, software, and brands show that we are laying the foundation for an innovation-driven economy," Pascua said.

Marco M. Alemán, also commenting on the report, noted that intellectual property enables businesses and economies to convert intangible assets into measurable economic value. This conversion aids policymakers and companies in better understanding the role of innovation in national development.

The 2026 edition of the World Intangible Investment Highlights marks the Philippines’ first inclusion in the report, reflecting its growing recognition as an emerging knowledge and innovation economy on the global stage.