According to the report published on July 8 by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), intangible investment worldwide has grown more than three times faster than tangible investment since 2008. This trend is also found at the national level, in France, the third most intensive economy in terms of intangible investment.

This Wednesday, July 8, WIPO, in partnership with the Luiss Business School (one of the three departments of the Libera Universita Internazionale degli Studi Sociali located in Rome), published the third edition of its "Key data on intangible investment worldwide". It reveals that intangible investment has grown more than three times faster than tangible investment since 2008, exceeding $10 trillion in 2025.

France occupies a leading position

With $664 billion in 2025, France is the fourth largest global investor in intangible assets.

That same year, its intangible investments represented 15.2% of its gross domestic product (GDP), compared to 11.1% for its tangible investments. France is thus the third economy in the world where intangible investments play the largest role, after Sweden and the United States.

Intangible investments as a percentage of GDP, 1995 vs 2026: Sweden 11.8% to 17.4%; USA 11.2% to 15.6%; France 11% to 15.2%; Denmark 9.2% to 14.9%; Finland 10.7% to 14.8%; United Kingdom 11.9% to 13.5%; Lithuania 5.7% to 13.3%; Netherlands 10.7% to 12.8%; Luxembourg 6.4% to 12.4%; Estonia 8% to 11.8%. Source: WIPO-LBS INTAN-Invest global database, July 2026.

Intangible investment is increasing, tangible investment is declining

The divergence between the recent evolution of intangible investments and that of tangible investments is particularly marked in France since, last year, intangible investments there increased by 2.5%, while tangible investments declined by 0.7%.

If we take a longer-term view, over the decade 2015-2025, French intangible investment grew by 3.6% per year, compared to only 1.3% for tangible investment.

Software and databases are the most dynamic component of French intangible investment (7.2% per year), although organizational capital remains the largest category represented (31.7%). Further details and the full study are available via the original link below.

Source: INPI (French National Institute of Industrial Property); Original date: July 8, 2026; Original link: https://www.inpi.fr/en/in-one/WIPO-publishes-its-report-on-intangible-investment-worldwide