The global community is invited to Shanghai from October 21 to 23 to discover where the next big hit will come out. That’s when the China Licensing Expo (CLE) reopens its doors at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, and, if past editions are any indication, the industry should expect nothing less than a full-scale showcase of where IP and licensing are headed next.
Organized by the Licensing Council of China (LCC), the country’s only national trade association dedicated to the licensing sector, operating under the support of the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the National Cultural Heritage Administration, CLE has grown, in less than two decades, into a genuine global reference point. Founded in 2007, the show’s 19th edition marks a milestone, and the numbers speak for themselves: 68,000 square meters of exhibition space, more than 2,700 IPs on display, and international exhibitors comprising over half of the show floor.
An International Gathering, with an Unmistakably Chinese Engine Room
What makes CLE distinctive is also the breadth of who shows up. Disney, Universal, Hasbro, Warner Bros. Discovery, Mattel, Sanrio, Bandai Namco, Ubisoft, Legendary, and LINE FRIENDS are among the international heavyweights confirmed, alongside a striking mix of homegrown Chinese powerhouses: Pop Mart, Alifish, JY Animation, 52Toys, and the Palace Museum, to name a few. Nine international pavilions – from Japan, South Korea, Europe, Russia, Chinese Taipei, and Macau – will bring national delegations together, reinforcing CLE’s role as a genuine East-meets-West marketplace rather than a purely domestic trade fair.
The categories on display tell their own story about how far licensing has stretched beyond its traditional boundaries. Cartoon and animation still headline, of course, with names like Peppa Pig, Pokémon, Ultraman, Doraemon and Snoopy anchoring the halls. But arts and museums (British Museum, The Met, National Portrait Gallery), corporate and automotive brands (Jaguar, Land Rover, McLaren, BMW), sports properties (FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, PSG), and video games (World of Warcraft, Honor of Kings, Assassin’s Creed) all have a substantial presence, proof that IP licensing in China has fully matured into a cross-sector growth engine rather than a toy-aisle niche.
One trend worth watching closely: trend toys. The show highlights a dedicated Global Trend Barometer section featuring over 300 designer and collectible toy brands (a 65.67% year-on-year jump) with Pop Mart, Funko, Bandai, Takara Tomy, and dozens of emerging Chinese labels competing for shelf space and consumer attention. If you want a temperature check on where collectible culture is going next, this is arguably the room to be in.
The Numbers Behind the Momentum
The context helps explain why so many licensors keep showing up. According to the newly released 2026 China Licensing Industry Report, annual retail sales of licensed products in the domestic market hit USD 26.22 billion in 2025 — up 15.9% year-on-year — while domestic royalty revenue reached USD 1 billion, up 12.3%. Perhaps more tellingly, 93.9% of surveyed licensees now say IP licensing actively drives their sales growth, and over 60% of consumers buying licensed goods identify as genuine IP enthusiasts. This is one where licensing has become a structural part of how brands compete.
Beyond the show floor, CLE anchors a full China Licensing Week, with nearly 100 side events, including the 20th China Licensing Summit (organized with Licensing International as an educational partner), cross-industry matchmaking sessions pairing IP owners with sectors ranging from food and beverage to travel and department stores, and the now-established CLE Night gala. Add to that the IP365X platform, a 365-day-a-year online matchmaking tool that has already logged nearly 300,000 pageviews and over 28,000 inquiries across 2,700+ properties, and it’s clear the organizers have built something that works well beyond the three days of the physical event.
With over 99,000 visitors last edition, including more than 5,600 international attendees from 35 countries, and 200+ media partners generating over 2,500 pieces of coverage, CLE has firmly established itself as the licensing world’s most important appointment in Asia — and one of the biggest, period.
📢 From Licensing Magazine: for the second year, we’re bringing a VIP delegation to Shanghai
At Licensing Magazine, we’re proud to announce that we’ve assembled a global delegation of licensing professionals who will attend China Licensing Expo 2026 as our VIP guests. Who’s on the list? We’re keeping that under wraps for just a little longer, but trust us, it’s a group worth knowing.
Stay tuned — the full announcement is coming soon!
