Huawei Signs First 5G Patent Licensing Deal With Qualcomm

Huawei and US chipmaker Qualcomm have announced a broad, multi-year patent licensing agreement covering several major technology areas, including 5G, artificial intelligence, computing and networking. The agreement includes cross-licensing of the companies’ patent portfolios, while Qualcomm will also purchase certain Huawei US patents covering computing, AI, networking and related technologies. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals.

The deal is particularly significant because it represents the first patent licensing agreement between Huawei and Qualcomm to cover 5G technology. Financial terms and royalty rates were not disclosed, but Huawei said the agreement is expected to push the cumulative value of its patent licensing deals above $6.9 billion once completed. Huawei’s intellectual-property licensing business has remained revenue-positive since 2021.

The agreement also highlights the growing commercial value of Huawei’s extensive technology portfolio. Huawei says it held more than 165,000 active granted patents at the end of 2025 and has signed more than 260 patent licensing agreements with major ICT companies around the world. The company has invested heavily in research and development, with its 2025 R&D spending reaching 192.3 billion yuan, or 21.8% of its revenue.

For Qualcomm, the agreement reinforces its position in the global 5G patent ecosystem while giving it access to selected Huawei technologies. Both companies said the arrangement follows fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory, or FRAND, licensing principles. The deal does not represent a broader business partnership between the two companies; instead, it is focused on intellectual-property licensing and the transfer of selected patents.

The agreement comes against the backdrop of years of intense competition between Chinese and US technology companies and restrictions that have affected Huawei’s access to advanced American technology. Huawei previously made its first licensing payment to Qualcomm in 2001, while it received its first licensing income from Motorola in 2011. The new agreement marks a notable shift in the relationship, with Huawei increasingly monetising its own technology and patent portfolio as it expands its presence across 5G, AI and computing.