News Release
January 16, 2026
Canon Inc.
Canon ranked seventh in U.S. patent ranking, now in the top 10 for 42 years running
TOKYO, January 16, 2026—In 2025, Canon ranked seventh in the number of patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), placing it in the world's top 10, according to IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, a U.S.-based patent research firm. Among the companies that have continually maintained a position within the global top 10, Canon currently holds the record for the longest duration—42 consecutive years.
Canon emphasizes the importance of obtaining patents not only in Japan but also internationally. It promotes patent filing based on regional business strategies, as well as technology advancement and product trends. The United States, with its concentration of high-tech companies and its large market scale, is a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.
Top 15 companies by number of US patents obtained in 2025*
| Rank | Patent holder | Number of patents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 7,054 |
| 2 | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co TSMC Ltd | 4,194 |
| 3 | Qualcomm Inc | 3,749 |
| 4 | Huawei Technologies Co Ltd | 3,052 |
| 5 | Samsung Display Co Ltd | 2,859 |
| 6 | Apple Inc | 2,722 |
| 7 | Canon Inc | 2,623 |
| 8 | Toyota Motor Corp | 2,406 |
| 9 | Dell Products LP | 2,301 |
| 10 | LG Electronics Inc | 2,284 |
| 11 | International Business Machines Corp | 2,193 |
| 12 | Intel Corp | 2,054 |
| 13 | BOE Technology Group Co Ltd | 1,957 |
| 14 | Google LLC | 1,782 |
| 15 | Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC | 1,755 |
- *
Numbers of patents based on figures released by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services (as of January 16, 2026).
Canon makes maximum use of its intellectual property portfolio to enhance corporate value. In addition to focusing on protecting intellectual property rights related to core business competencies, Canon devotes significant resources to obtain intellectual property rights to help anticipate future developments covering technologies in areas such as AI and IoT, international technical standards, and the environment, to help create new businesses.
Canon will continue its intellectual property initiatives with the goal of supporting its businesses, providing products and services with higher added value, and contributing to a better society.