5G Patent Competition, Huawei and Qualcomm Maintain Leadership
LexisNexis, a specialist in patent and legal data analysis, recently published its latest report on the global 5G patent market, "Who Is Leading the 5G Patent Race 2026? The report, titled "Who Is Leading the 5G Patent Race 2026," was published...
2026/03/04
Posted on 2026/03/04
LexisNexis, a specialist in patent and legal data analysis, recently published its latest report on the global 5G patent market, "Who Is Leading the 5G Patent Race 2026?" (Who Is Leading the 5G Patent Race in 2026?)," a new report on the global 5G patent market. According to the report, Huawei and Qualcomm continue to lead the race for 5G patents, followed by Samsung Electronics, Ericsson, and LG Electronics.
The report is a composite evaluation of the number of 5G patent applications and rights granted, technology contributions to 3GPP standardization, and portfolio value indicators of the world's leading telecommunications companies. According to the analysis, Huawei outperformed other companies in terms of the total number of 5G-related patents held and technological contributions to 3GPP, but Qualcomm led in terms of the value of its 5G-related patent portfolio.
Meanwhile, U.S. telecommunications media outlet Light Reading, in an article on the topic, noted the profitability of Huawei and Qualcomm's 5G patents. According to the media outlet, Qualcomm's patent licensing business QTL generated about $5.6 billion in FY2024, accounting for 14% of its revenue and about 30% of its overall profit. In contrast, Huawei's licensing revenue for the same year was only about $630 million, pointing to a significant gap between the two companies in terms of patent monetization.
Tim Pohlmann, Director of Standard Essential Patents Analysis at LexisNexis, commented, "The financial importance of accurate patent data is increasing as 5G licensing extends beyond smartphones into the industrial, automotive, and infrastructure sectors.
