Samsung Electronics ranked first among global companies in the number of U.S. patents granted last year, marking its fourth consecutive year at the top, according to a report released 2/8 by patent analytics firm IFI Claims.
A total of 323,272 patents were registered in the United States in 2025, the report showed. Samsung Electronics secured 7,054 patents, accounting for more than 2% of all U.S. patents granted during the year. The total represented an increase of about 11% from the company’s 6,377 patents a year earlier.
Samsung Display ranked fifth with 2,859 patents, climbing two places from the previous year, while LG Electronics placed 10th with 2,284 patents. LG Display followed at 30th with 932 patents.
SK Hynix ranked 37th with 844 patents, underscoring the patent competitiveness of South Korea’s semiconductor industry.
LG Energy Solution recorded one of the sharpest gains, securing 981 patents, a 50% increase from the previous year. The battery maker jumped 22 places to 27th, the largest ranking increase among surveyed companies.
Automakers also posted notable gains. Hyundai Motor ranked 16th with 1,631 patents, rising three places, while Kia placed 17th with 1,606 patents, up five positions.
By contrast, IBM fell to 11th, dropping out of the top 10. The U.S. technology company had held the No. 1 spot for 29 consecutive years through 2021, but its ranking has declined as it adopted a more selective patent-filing strategy.
By country, South Korean companies registered 26,147 U.S. patents, an increase of more than 8% from a year earlier, extending an upward trend.
Asian companies accounted for roughly 60% of all U.S. patents granted, highlighting a continued shift in the center of technological innovation from Western economies toward Asia, the report said.
Overall U.S. patent filings fell 9% from the previous year, marking the lowest level since 2019. Still, patents related to clean-energy technologies—including battery cell management, electrolysis and recycling—were identified as the fastest-growing categories, reflecting accelerating research tied to the global energy transition.
