On December 12 local time, the WIPO released its annual World Intellectual Property Indicators report which noted that the number of global patent applications and design applications continued to rise in 2024. After two years of slowdown, global trademark applications appeared signs of recovery, in which China stood out, taking the lead globally in all three categories of applications. 

It is highlighted in the report global patent filings grew for the fifth straight year, hitting a record 3.7 million, marking a growth rate of 4.9%. China retained the lead globally with 1.8 million filings, followed by the US with 501,831 filings, Japan with 419,132, South Korea with 295,722 and Germany with 133,485.

In terms of data, Computer technology emerged as the most frequently featured technology in published patent applications worldwide, accounting for 13.2 percent of the total. It was followed by electrical machinery, measuring, measurement, digital communication, and medical technology, almost the same with 2023. 

Global trademark applications showed signs of recovery after two years of slowdown. In 2024, the total number of trademark applications reached 15.2 million, a slight decrease of 0.1% compared to 2023. The largest source country for applications was China, with approximately 7.3 million applications, followed by the United States with 836,457 filings, Russia with 559,436, India with 532,900, and Brazil with 436,291. 

Global design applications grew by 2.2% in 2024, reaching 1.6 million. The number of design applications filed by Chinese applicants was 906,849, ranking first globally, followed by Germany (70,212), the United States (66,855), Italy (63,668), and South Korea (60,109). The top 5 source countries together accounted for nearly three-quarters of global design applications in 2024. 

Daren Tang, Director General of the WIPO, stated the significance of intellectual property for business and economic growth. In today’s competitive global economy, innovation is a key driver of growth, and intellectual property has become the core of many business strategies—whether to protect and promote breakthrough technologies, trusted brands, or remarkable designs. The continuous growth in intellectual property applications indicates strong confidence in the intellectual property system and the efforts from governments of various countries, supported by WIPO, to incentivize and strengthen innovation. To maintain this trust requires ongoing global cooperation to ensure the establishment of robust and efficient intellectual property frameworks. 

Based on statistical data from intellectual property offices in approximately 150 countries and regions worldwide, the annual report comprehensively summarizes the global application trends in patents, trademarks, designs, and other intellectual property fields.

From IPRdaily

November 14th, 2025