The latest statistics from the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IPVN) provide an overview of domestic invention, utility solution and design filings in Q1 of 2026. The data illustrate key developments in Vietnam’s intellectual property (IP) filing landscape and can serve as a useful resource for IP professionals, rights holders, and potential applicants assessing the Vietnam market.
Invention and utility solution applications
In Q1 of 2026, a total of 1,314 invention applications and 534 utility solution applications were filed nationwide. The ratio of invention applications to utility solution applications stood at approximately 2.5, reflecting growing innovation activities aimed at creating inventions that not only satisfy the novelty requirement, but also meet the inventive-step requirement.
In terms of geographical distribution, application numbers were led by the three largest cities representing the country’s three regions: the capital Hanoi in the North, Da Nang in the Central, and Ho Chi Minh City in the South. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City accounted for approximately 45% and 25%, respectively, of the total number of invention and utility solution applications nationwide. This result comes as unsurprising, as these two cities are home to many of the country’s leading universities and major scientific research institutions.
On the other side, only 31 out of 63 provinces and municipalities recorded invention and utility solution filings, 12 of them filed less than five applications. Five provinces filed only utility solution applications and no invention applications. As a result, 27 provinces recorded neither invention nor utility solution filings.
Design applications
The regional distribution of design applications in Q1 of 2026 highlights the dominance of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, alongside the remarkable performance of Tay Ninh province. Ho Chi Minh City led with 649 applications, accounting for 40% of the total, while Hanoi followed with 455 applications (28%). Together, the two cities contributed 68% of all design filings, highlighting their continued dominance in Vietnam’s design.
A notable highlight was Tay Ninh province, which recorded 135 applications (9% of the total). Among Vietnam’s provinces and municipalities, Tay Ninh stood out as an exceptional performer, significantly surpassing most other localities outside the two major cities. The remaining provinces and cities collectively accounted for 377 applications (23%).
Overall, the overview suggests that invention, utility solution and design filings in Vietnam remain highly concentrated in a small number of economically developed regions, with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi continuing to serve as the country’s primary centers for design protection awareness and commercialization activities. The awareness of IP remains uneven across provinces and municipalities, particularly in regions where educational and research conditions are still challenging, such as the Northwestern, Northeastern and Central Highlands regions.
Outlook
Alongside Vietnam’s strong economic growth in recent years, domestic IP filings have also experienced significant expansion. Compared with 2024, domestic filing activity in 2025 recorded substantial growth across all major categories:
– Domestic invention applications increased by approximately 36%
– Domestic utility solution applications increased by approximately 37%, and
– Domestic industrial design applications increased by approximately 5% [excluding design applications filed under the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Geneva Act of 2 July 1999)].
These trends suggest that innovation and IP protection awareness among Vietnamese individuals, enterprises, universities, and research institutions continue to strengthen.
Several questions remain to be answered in the coming years.
– First, will the ratio of invention applications to utility solution applications continue to increase as applicants pursue stronger and more technologically advanced forms of protection? A rising ratio could indicate an increasing capacity to generate inventions that satisfy not only the novelty requirement but also the inventive-step requirement.
– Second, as Vietnam’s economy continues to develop, how will the geographical distribution of domestic IP filings evolve? Some regions may experience rapid growth in invention, utility solution, and design filings as industrial, educational, and research capabilities expand, while other regions may see slower growth or a declining share of total filings. Monitoring these regional trends will provide valuable insights into the development of Vietnam’s innovation ecosystem and the effectiveness of policies aimed at promoting IP awareness and technological advancement throughout the country.
By Nguyen Tran Tien and Nguyen Thai Quang Minh
Patent Department
