IPOS Launches Initiatives to Strengthen Singapore’s Intangible Assets and Intellectual Property Ecosystem

Intangible assets (“IA“) have become an increasingly important driver of business value, with brands, patents, data and other IA making up the majority of business value worldwide. In light of this, there is an urgent need for globally consistent and trusted valuation practices specifically applicable to IA. 

Singapore has thus launched key initiatives aimed at strengthening Singapore’s IA and intellectual property (“IP“) ecosystem. These include:

1. New Technical Reference for Enterprise IA/IP Management (“TR 152:2026“)
2. Launch of the Intangible Asset Valuation Network (“IAVN“); and
3. Issuance of Guidance Note on IA valuation.

Technical Reference for Enterprise IA/IP Management

The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (“IPOS“) has launched TR 152:2026, which aims to provide enterprises with practical guidance, templates and standardised practices to support the systematic management of IA and IP. 

A new certificate programme in Enterprise IA/IP Management will also be launched to equip business professionals with the skills to support effective IA/IP management within enterprises. 

Lionel Tan (Partner, Technology, Media & Telecommunications (“TMT“)) served as a member of the Committee that was convened by IPOS to formulate TR 152:2026.

Intangible Asset Valuation Network

A new global IAVN has been launched, bringing together leading organisations in the areas of IP, valuation and commercialisation to strengthen global practices and build capabilities in IA valuation. The IAVN will serve as a dedicated global platform for organisations to share knowledge, exchange perspectives and encourage greater international alignment on best practices while respecting the diverse legal, regulatory and commercial contexts in which valuations take place.

The Founding Members of the IAVN are:

1. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
2. International Valuation Standards Council (IVSC)
3. International Trademark Association (INTA)
4. Licensing Executives Society International (“LESI“)
5. IPOS
6. Institute of Valuers and Appraisers Singapore (“IVAS“)

Rajah & Tann is closely involved in the IAVN, with Partner Lionel Tan standing as a Director on the Board of the LESI, and as a key contact person representing LESI in forming the IAVN and for subsequent joint activities between the Founding Members.

Guidance Note on IA valuation

The IVAS has issued GN-003: Valuation of Intangible Assets: Key Focus Areas and Guidance (“Guidance Note“). This Guidance Note supplements the International Valuation Standards (IVS) by providing greater consistency, transparency, and professional judgement in practice. This includes: (i) understanding the characteristics and risk profile of IA; (ii) determining whether IA should be valued on a standalone basis; (iii) determining hypothetical royalty rates and economic lives; (iv) performing sensitivity and corroborative analyses; and (v) enhancing valuation report disclosures.

Click on the following links for more information:

Available on the IPOS website at www.ipos.gov.sg:

• IPOS Media Release titled “Is it IP as usual? Singapore IP Week tackles the big questions facing IP in the age of AI”
• IPOS Media Release titled “New Global Network to Advance Intangible Asset Valuation Practices”

Available on the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (“ACRA“) website at www.acra.gov.sg:

• ACRA Press Release titled “IVAS issues Guidance Note to support robust, transparent and consistent intangible asset valuations”

If you have any queries on the above, please reach out to our team set out on this page.

For regional Intellectual Property and TMT matters, please contact Rajah & Tann Asia’s Intellectual Property Practice and TMT Practice, respectively, for more information.