China: Trademark applications, resident, by count

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, China's trademark applications, resident, by count fell 2.9% on 2023 (from 6.99 million to 6.79 million).

Across the 19 yearly changes before that (2005 to 2023), the average change was +15.9% and a typical year strayed about 18.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 57.1% in 2017 and the biggest yearly fall was 20.5% in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is upward, about 470,125 a year. A straight line explains 45% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, China had the 1st highest value of the 112 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to China in the 2024 ranking

• Russian Federation — 2nd of 112: 523,570
• India — 3rd of 112: 512,597
• United States — 4th of 112: 493,415

What this measures

Trademark applications filed are applications to register a trademark with a national or regional Intellectual Property (IP) offices and designations received by relevant offices through the Madrid System. A trademark is a distinctive sign which identifies certain goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise. A trademark provides protection to the owner of the mark by ensuring the exclusive right to use it to identify goods or services, or to authorize another to use it in return for payment. The period of protection varies, but a trademark can be renewed indefinitely beyond the time limit on payment of additional fees. Resident application refers to an application filed with the IP office of or acting on behalf of the state or jurisdiction in which the first-named applicant in the application has residence. Class count is used to render application data for trademark applications across offices comparable, as some offices follow a single-class/single-design filing system while other have a multiple class/design filing system.

Limitations: Data are based on information supplied to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) by IP offices in annual surveys, supplemented by data in national IP office reports. Data may be missing for some offices or periods.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 21 values

Trademark applications, resident, by count in nearby economies

• Australia — 84,859 (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 121 (2024)
• Cambodia — 2,288 (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 26,623 (2024)
• Indonesia — 127,832 (2024)
• Japan — 240,417 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 265,457 (2024)
• Lao PDR — 1,109 (2024)
• Macao SAR, China — 2,960 (2024)
• Malaysia — 21,467 (2024)

More infrastructure data for China

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 1.87 billion (2024)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 131.75 (2024)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 4.91 million (2023)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 26,170 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 619.22 million (2023)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 166.51 million (2024)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 11.73 (2024)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$73.61 billion (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 19.14% (2025)
• Industrial design applications, nonresident, by count

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is China's trademark applications, resident, by count?

6.79 million in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2004?

It is up 1,186% from 527,620 in 2004 (13.62% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 9.19 million in 2021 and the lowest 527,620 in 2004.

How does China rank?

1st highest of 112 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in trademark applications, resident, by count unusual for China?

In 2024, China's trademark applications, resident, by count fell 2.9% on 2023 (from 6.99 million to 6.79 million). Across the 19 yearly changes before that (2005 to 2023), the average change was +15.9% and a typical year strayed about 18.1% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.0 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IP.TMK.RSCT, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Statistics Database, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), uri: www.wipo.int/ipstats/, note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the transformation of these data. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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