F4E publishes the first Global Fusion Energy Trends report

The quest for fusion energy has accelerated across the world. As the sector moves from research to industrialisation, five important actors are taking distinct positions: the European Union, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. This report shows how their models differ.

F4E's Fusion Observatory analyses Global Fusion Energy Trends through a comparative analysis of the five players. The study offers a uniquely comprehensive picture, based on five quantitative dimensions: public funding, private funding, fusion devices, publications and patents. Through this data, combined with a review of the regulatory frameworks, the report captures the strategic direction of each ecosystem.

In the five-dimensional comparison, the US has the highest level of private investment and active fusion devices. Meanwhile, China records the highest state-directed public investment and the largest identified fusion patents portfolio. Europe stands out for its fundamental role in ITER and its scientific output, while showing comparatively lower levels of private investments and patents.

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Who is investing the most in fusion?

The investment in fusion has surged in recent years. Between 2022 and 2025, the five actors dedicated over 20 billion EUR in identified fusion funding. This comprises domestic public funding, ITER in-kind contributions and private capital raised by fusion companies - with varying architectures across the five players.

The US has the largest total at 7.38 billion EUR and leads in private investment, at 2.41 billion EUR raised. China follows closely with a total of 6.94 billion EUR, from which 5.45 billion EUR are public spending. The EU accounts for 3.34 billion EUR, including 2.12 billion EUR in ITER in-kind contributions via F4E; while the UK amounts to 1.49 billion EUR and Japan to 1.21 billion EUR, both relying largely on national funding.

Identified fusion funding by actor, 2022-2025. Left: public funding, including ITER in-kind contributions, and private capital raised. Right: each actor's share of the five-actor total. ©F4E

Where are the fusion devices located?

The report also provides a map of fusion devices, revealing diverse capabilities and strategies. Together, the five actors have 83 devices in the pipeline, of which 42 are active (operating or under construction or upgrade). With 22 devices, the EU has the second broadest portfolio after the US. There are 8 active devices in the EU, including record-holders WEST or Wendelstein 7-X, all of them public.

The report also breaks down technological approaches, with tokamaks in the lead, and analyses the performance and timelines of the devices. The findings show that no operating facility yet reaches plant-relevant plasma performance and duration - a gap that machines like ITER, SPARC, BEST and JT-60SA are aiming to close.

Total fusion device pipeline split between operating, under construction / upgrade, and planned devices. ©F4E

How are scientific publications in fusion distributed globally?

Publication figures indicate that the US and the EU have the strongest foundational fusion research base. Together they account for roughly 65% of publications and 75% of citations in the 1950-2026 record. Focusing on the last two decades, the EU has the highest volume and influence, on par with the US. China's scientific output has greatly accelerated in recent years, accounting for 21.5% of publications in the 2006-2026 period, above Japan (12.0%) and the UK (6.0%).

Publication and citation shares among the five selected actors (1950-May 2026). ©F4E

How many patents have resulted from fusion?

The report examines the distribution of the 2,210 alive fusion patent families across the five actors. The results reveal an uneven distribution. China holds 60% of them, having expanded its portfolio rapidly in recent years. The US follows at 20% (438 families), with Japan (7%), the EU (6%) and the UK (6%) behind.

However, the mere count of patents does not show the full picture. The report goes deeper into analysing where patents are filed. It shows that 95% of Chinese patent families have only been filed domestically, whilst other actors have higher proportions of multi-jurisdiction protection, reflecting different patenting strategies.

Cumulative identified fusion patent families alive at the February 2026 cut-off, 2006-2025. Recent years are incomplete because of the normal delay between filing and publication. ©F4E

From research to strategic priority

In parallel to the technical and financial progress, fusion is also rising on the political agenda. The report describes how the five actors are developing their regulatory frameworks and strategies for fusion.

Ultimately, the success in the race will hinge on multiple factors. Besides the scale of investment, it requires the capacity to turn research into industrial capability. Europe, with its scientific legacy and extensive ITER supply chain, has strong foundations to compete and harness fusion as a clean energy source.

Five-dimensional comparison between the EU, China, the US, Japan and the UK. ©F4E

Discover all the data and findings of F4E's Global Fusion Energy Trends report

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