ICSID Releases 2025 Caseload Statistics

The newest edition of The ICSID Caseload - Statistics provides detailed data on case developments at ICSID in 2025 and an overview of trends spanning all ICSID cases since 1972. Reflecting robust and sustained demand for ICSID's services, this edition presents statistics on newly registered cases, the geographic origin of investors, the sectoral breakdowns of new cases, and arbitration outcomes and awards.

As of December 31, 2025, ICSID had registered 1,085 arbitration and conciliation cases under the ICSID Convention and Additional Facility Rules. This total includes 63 new cases in 2025, the second-highest number in a calendar year in its history. Most new cases (58%) invoked ICSID jurisdiction via a bilateral investment treaty (BIT), followed by State-investor contracts (15%) and domestic investment laws (6%). Of the 63 new cases in 2025, 56 are arbitrations under the ICSID Convention, 6 are arbitrations under the ICSID Additional Facility, and 1 is an ICSID Convention conciliation.

In addition to administering proceedings under the ICSID rules, ICSID is also available to administer proceedings conducted under other rules. In 2025, ICSID administered 14 cases under non-ICSID rules, including 10 arbitrations under the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) rules.

Regional and Sectoral Breakdown of New Cases
In 2025, Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 24% of new cases, South America for 20%, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia for 19%, while Central America and the Caribbean represented 13%, North America 8%, and Western Europe 6%; South and East Asia and the Pacific, as well as the Middle East and North Africa, each comprised 5%.

Over the same period, investors from Western Europe were involved in 44% of new cases, followed by North America at 14%, the Middle East and North Africa at 10%, and South and East Asia and the Pacific at 10%; investors from Sub-Saharan Africa constituted 6% of new cases, Central America and the Caribbean 5%, and South America 3%.

In 2025, 24% of new cases involved the mining sector, 21% were related to the oil and gas industry, and 16% involved construction. Other cases spanned a range of industries, including information and communication, finance, and electric power and other energy, each accounting for 6%.

Case Outcomes
Of the arbitrations concluded in 2025, 67% were decided by a tribunal and 33% were settled or otherwise discontinued, consistent with ICSID's long-term trend of arbitration outcomes. Among those settled or discontinued in 2025, 50% were discontinued at the request of both parties.

Among disputes decided by tribunals in 2025, 53% of awards upheld investors' claims in part or in full, 31% rejected all claims on the merits, 11% declined jurisdiction, and 5% of cases were dismissed for manifest lack of legal merit.

In arbitration cases decided by tribunals in 2025, 60% resulted in no damages awarded to investors (for example, due to jurisdictional dismissals, findings of no liability, or liability without damages). In 9% of cases, damages awarded were under US$10 million; 14% of cases resulted in awards between US$10 million and US$49 million; and in 18% of cases, awards exceeded US$50 million.

Diversity of Appointments
The 240 appointments of arbitrators, conciliators and ad hoc committee members to ICSID cases in 2025 covered 49 nationalities. Overall, 13% were first-time appointments to an ICSID case. Among first-time appointees, 25% were nationals of low-or middle-income economies, and 31% were women. By region, Western European nationals accounted for 38% of ICSID appointments in 2025, with South American nationals as the second-largest group at 20%.

Women accounted for 30% of all appointments to ICSID cases in 2025, compared with 16% across all cases historically. Among the 88 appointments made by ICSID in 2025 (as distinct from appointments by parties or co-arbitrators), 41% were women and 59% were men.

The ICSID Caseload - Statistics issue for calendar year 2025 is available for download here.

About The ICSID Caseload - Statistics
Published every six months in English, French and Spanish, the ICSID Caseload - Statistics presents a profile and trends of the ICSID caseload since the first case registered in 1972. The publication offers a comprehensive, data-driven overview of all cases registered and administered by ICSID, serving as a key resource for practitioners and policymakers to track trends and developments in international investment dispute settlement.