A total of at least 4,106 executions were carried out in 2013, a rise from 3,967 in 2012, the report by Hands Off Cain, an organisation campaigning for the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, found.
China led the count with over 3,000 receiving the death penalty. Next was Iran with 687, followed by Iraq with 172.
However, the group noted actual figures may be much higher as official data was lacking from many countries.
The increase in the number of executions performed comes despite a global trend moving away from the use of capital punishment.
According to Hands Off Cain, 161 countries abolished the death penalty over the past 15 years, with only 37 countries in the world still continuing the practice.
Following the three leading nations are Saudi Arabia with 78 executions, Somalia with at least 27, Sudan with 21 and North Korea with at least 17.