Huawei, Qualcomm strike multi-year patent agreement across 5G, AI
US chip giant Qualcomm has agreed to pay to licence and acquire patents from China’s Huawei Technologies for the first time as part of a “multi-year, broad patent licence agreement” covering 5G, computing and artificial intelligence. The deal involved cross-licensing between both firms’ patent portfolios, the Shenzhen-based firm said in a statement on Monday, adding that it included Qualcomm’s…
U.S. technology giant Qualcomm has entered into a "multi-year, broad patent licence agreement" with Chinese firm Huawei Technologies, according to a statement released on Monday. The agreement involves cross-licensing between the patent portfolios of both companies, and includes Qualcomm's acquisition of specific Huawei US patents related to computing, artificial intelligence (AI), networking, and other technologies.
The transaction did not entail any other forms of business cooperation, and is subject to regulatory approvals. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
This marks a significant shift in the relationship between the two tech powerhouses, as Huawei had previously agreed to pay Qualcomm $1.8 billion in back licensing fees in 2020. Huawei has been actively seeking to monetize its extensive patent portfolio in telecommunications, audio and video to maximize returns on its continuous research and development investments.
The latest deal underscores the value of Huawei's innovations, while also recognizing Qualcomm's foundational contributions to modern communication technologies, according to Huawei's Chief Intellectual Property Officer Alan Fan.
John Han, Qualcomm's Executive Vice President and General Manager of Technology Licensing, stated that the agreement reaffirms industry recognition of Qualcomm's 5G technology leadership and reflects Qualcomm's recognition of Huawei's continued innovation and intellectual property in 5G and other technology fields. As of 2025, Huawei's total contract value from patent licensing agreements has surpassed $6.9 billion since its first income from Motorola in 2011.
Huawei has obtained over 260 licensing deals with major global tech firms such as Nokia, Samsung, and Amazon, as well as domestic rivals like Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi, according to the company.
Investing a total of 192.3 billion yuan (approximately $28.7 billion) in research and development in 2025, Huawei, one of the world's largest patent holders, holds 165,000 active granted patents worldwide. In 2022, Huawei's founder, Ren Zhengfei, encouraged the company's intellectual property team to prioritize turning its vast pool of patents into revenue through "reasonable pricing" and to generate an appropriate return on its investments.
Written by urgent.news from SCMP Tech's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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