Huawei and Qualcomm announced on Monday (5) a multi-year patent licensing agreement that expands the relationship between the two companies into areas such as 5G, artificial intelligence, computing and networking. The package also provides for Qualcomm's purchase of certain Huawei intellectual property assets in the United States.
The agreement establishes cross-licenses covering the two companies' patent portfolios. In practice, each company will be able to use the other's protected technologies within the fields covered by the contract, reducing risks of disputes and creating a common framework for the use of intellectual property in strategic areas.
In addition to the licenses, Qualcomm will buy certain Huawei U.S. patents related to computing, AI, networking and other technologies. The companies did not disclose which patents will be transferred, the value of the transaction or the exact duration of the contract. Completion depends on the necessary regulatory approvals.
Agreement expands relationship started in 2020
Huawei and Qualcomm already had a licensing relationship. In 2020, the companies ended a patent dispute and signed a new global agreement. At the time, Qualcomm recorded US$ 1.8 billion in revenue related to the dispute resolution agreement and the royalty payments provided for in the new license.
The new agreement, however, has a broader technological scope by explicitly mentioning AI and computing, in addition to 5G and networking. Huawei ended 2025 with more than 165,000 active patents and more than 260 licensing or cross-licensing agreements signed with other companies.
For Qualcomm, intellectual property remains a central business front. The company reports holding more than 200,000 granted or pending patents in more than 100 countries and jurisdictions, in addition to more than 300 licensing agreements.
The companies stated that the new agreement follows FRAND principles, which determine fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions for the licensing of certain technologies. No timeline for the completion of the transaction was disclosed.
