Saudi Arabia has achieved significant progress in intellectual property protection, climbing to 40th place in the 2025 Global Intellectual Property Index. The country’s score increased by 17.5 percent, making it one of the fastest-improving nations among those assessed.
This advancement reflects major reforms inspired by Vision 2030, which focus on strengthening IP laws, boosting innovation, and building a knowledge-driven economy. Since 2019, Saudi Arabia’s overall score has risen from 36.6 percent to 53.7 percent, a notable leap in just six years.
Key steps include lengthening design protection to 15 years, creating an office dedicated to IP prosecutions, and launching advanced digital tools for copyright and trademark enforcement. These measures, led by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, have modernized the regulatory landscape and improved institutional capacity.
The report also recognized the Kingdom’s efforts in public education, cross-agency cooperation, and joining major international IP treaties. Improvements in enforcement and global treaty participation have positioned Saudi Arabia as a regional center for innovation, attracting more foreign investment and supporting local entrepreneurs.
The US Chamber of Commerce highlighted Saudi Arabia’s commitment to embedding intellectual property rights in its economic strategy, setting an example for emerging markets.
The United Arab Emirates also performed well, ranking 26th with strong scores for patent and trademark protections, judicial enforcement, and progress in digital transformation.