The World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI) report provides a comprehensive annual overview of global filing activity across patents, trademarks, industrial designs, and other intellectual property (IP) rights. It is based on data collected from approximately 150 national and regional IP offices worldwide.
According to the latest edition, global patent filings increased by 4.9% in 2024, marking the fifth consecutive year of growth, while design filings rose by 2.2%. Meanwhile, trademark applications showed early signs of recovery after a two-year slowdown, ending the year largely stable.
A substantial increase in patent filings from China, India, the Republic of Korea, and Japan served as the main drivers of global growth in 2024, according to the latest WIPI report.
In terms of trademark activity, applicants based in China continued to dominate, with a combined total of approximately 7.3 million domestic and international application classes. They were followed by the United States (836,457), the Russian Federation (559,436), India (532,900), and Brazil (436,291).
When it comes to design filings, applicants residing in China also led globally, with 906,849 designs filed in 2024. They were followed by Germany (70,212), the United States (66,855), Italy (63,668), and the Republic of Korea (60,109). Collectively, these top five countries accounted for nearly three-quarters (74.9%) of global design filing activity in 2024.
Sources
- Publication date
- 20 November 2025
- Author
- European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency