Trademark Filing Trends 2025

An Analysis of Global Filing Activity and Portfolio Data

Introduction

Understanding filing trends, regional growth, and market priorities is essential for trademark attorneys, both in-house and in law firms. When developing an IP strategy, analyzing trademark applications is crucial, as they reveal consumer behavior, brand strategies, global economic shifts, and identify potential commercial opportunities.

This report provides an in-depth analysis of trademark filing activity across 10 key jurisdictions from 2015 through 2024. Using data from the Signa global database, we examine regional filing patterns, sources of inbound filings, and how brand owners prioritize protection locally versus internationally.

We also highlight the top 20 trademark portfolios in each country, both domestic and foreign, to provide a clear view of the major players dominating these key markets. This report underscores the importance of a strategic, context-aware approach to trademark protection when navigating the complexities of local and global markets.

Methodology

To inform this report, Signa analyzed trademark filing data from 2015 through 2024, sourced from our comprehensive global database, which includes over 147 million records across more than 200 jurisdictions. We meticulously examined filing activities, regional distributions, and trademark portfolio sizes to better understand the connection between regional and global trademark ecosystems.

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Global Filing Volume Overview (2024)

To provide context for the detailed analysis that follows, the chart below illustrates the filing volumes across all 10 jurisdictions examined in this report. The dramatic scale difference between Mainland China and other jurisdictions reflects both market size and the strategic importance brand owners place on IP protection in different regions.

The data reveals a three-tier structure: Mainland China operates at a scale roughly 10 times larger than second-place United States, while India represents an emerging powerhouse rapidly approaching U.S. volumes. The European and Asia-Pacific jurisdictions show varying levels of activity that reflect their economic importance and market accessibility for global brands.

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The United States (USPTO)

The United States is a brand powerhouse and home to many of the world's largest and best-known brands. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) was the second-largest jurisdiction for trademark filings in our analysis, outranked only by Mainland China.

In 2024, total trademark filing volume at the USPTO increased by 9.1%. This growth was driven primarily by a 25% growth from foreign-based owners. Applicants from Mainland China were the largest driver, filing over 153,000 U.S. trademark applications—37,000 more than in 2023—mainly to sell products via e-commerce platforms. In contrast, local filing volume from domestic U.S. brand owners increased by just 1.7%. While small, this was positive news, as 2024 was the first year since 2020 that filing activity from domestic U.S. brand owners increased.

U.S. Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

The U.S. was a net 'importer' of trademark filing work in 2024, with significantly more applications (233,926) coming into the U.S. than U.S-owned applications being filed in foreign regions (169,684).

• Incoming foreign-based applications were dominated by Mainland China, which filed 158,259 trademark applications in the U.S. in 2024. Applicants from Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea followed far behind with 8,585, 6,952, and 5,957 applications, respectively.
• Outgoing U.S.-based applications were most often filed in Mainland China (27,124), highlighting the importance of trade between the two countries. Canada (17,608), Mexico (12,202), and the EUIPO (9,605) were the next largest foreign markets.

Unlike other markets, the difference in portfolio size between local and foreign-owned brands in the U.S. was much less drastic. Among foreign-based brand owners, Australian company Aristocrat Technologies held the largest U.S. portfolio (2,413 registrations), followed by Nestlé (Switzerland) and L'Oreal (France).

Top 20 U.S. Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local U.S. Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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Canada (CIPO)

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) processes around 50,000 trademark applications annually, evenly split between domestic and international applicants. Additionally, the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) Madrid system contributes another 20,000 applications from foreign applicants each year.

In 2024, CIPO received 70,000 trademark applications (including direct filings and Madrid designations). The U.S. and Mainland China were the top foreign sources for direct applications.

Canadian Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

Canadian brand owners filed a relatively small number of foreign applications (17,301) compared to the incoming work. Over 45,000 applications from foreign-based applicants were received in 2024.

• Incoming foreign-based applications were led by the U.S. (17,596) and Mainland China (9,765). Together they accounted for 60% of all incoming filing work into Canada.
• Outgoing Canadian-based applications were overwhelmingly filed in the U.S. (8,556), which received nearly half of all outgoing filings. Mainland China received a further 10% (2,032).

Foreign applicants dominated Canada's largest trademark portfolios, with France's L'Oréal leading with 3,006 registrations. The U.S. had a strong presence, with companies like Procter & Gamble and Apple owning thousands of registrations.

Top 20 Canadian Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local Canadian Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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The United Kingdom (UKIPO)

Within the last five years, the United Kingdom Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) has become one of the fastest-growing major trademark registers, averaging 12% annual filing volume growth and attracting significant interest from foreign brand owners.

In 2024, the UKIPO received nearly 144,000 new trademark applications, an increase of 9.1% over the prior year. Nearly two-thirds of these were filed by local U.K. applicants. However, U.K. applications from foreign-based brand owners also rose, increasing by 15.6% in 2024.

U.K. Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

Unlike other regions, the U.K. had a near-even balance between incoming and outgoing trademark work. Foreign brand owners filed 52,977 applications at the UKIPO, while U.K. brand owners filed 59,909 applications abroad. This indicates that the U.K. has achieved a balanced trademark ecosystem, reflecting its strong appeal to both domestic and international brands.

• Incoming foreign-based applications were led by Mainland China (24,348) and the U.S. (6,956).
• Outgoing U.K.-based applications were also led by Mainland China (29,935) and the U.S. (8,252).

International brands maintain significantly larger portfolios than their local peers. This is due mainly to cloned EUTM records as a result of Brexit, which swelled the U.K. portfolios of major foreign-based brand owners. For example, LG Electronics tops the list with 2,696 registered marks, while the top local owner, Glaxo Group Limited, has 1,717.

Top 20 U.K. Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local U.K. Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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European Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO)

As of 2024, the EUIPO includes over 1.76 million active trademark records, making it one of the most active registers globally. In 2024, the EUIPO received nearly 150,000 new trademark applications.

Over the past decade, the EUIPO has experienced regular growth, with the exception of 2022 when filing volume fell by 15.2%. Since then, it experienced growth of 3.8% in 2023 and 3.7% in 2024.

The EUIPO received nearly two-thirds of its applications in 2024 from EU applicants, although growth from local applicants was just 1.1%. Filing volume from non-EU based applicants grew at a healthy 8.3%, with applications from Mainland China surging to over 25,000.

Top Sources of EUIPO Filings (2024)

• Mainland China: 25,446
• Germany: 19,491
• Italy: 12,383
• Spain: 11,475
• U.S.: 9,615

Despite the surge in applications from Mainland China, the top 20 list of portfolio owners included only one Chinese corporation: Huawei.

Top 20 EUIPO Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local (EU) Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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France (INPI)

Although the EUIPO is a central register, the French Patent and Trademark Office (INPI) remains a significant register due to its high volume of national-level activity.

In 2024, the INPI received over 90,000 new trademark applications, nearly 95% of which were filed by domestic French applicants. This reflects the vibrancy of French brands and their commitment to trademark protection.

Despite this strong local activity, the INPI has seen a decline in overall trademark filings since 2022. This decline was primarily driven by a lower volume of applications from foreign applicants, which has fallen by 20% over the last three years. This may indicate that foreign brand owners see more value in filing with the EUIPO than directly with the INPI.

French Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

While French brand owners dominated domestically, their global reach was significant, with 34,234 applications filed by French brands worldwide. In contrast, the number of applications filed in France by foreign applicants was much lower, at only 3,349.

• Outgoing French-based applications were led by filings at the EUIPO (6,857, or 20% of the total), followed by Mainland China (4,615) and WIPO (3,928).
• Incoming foreign-based applications were led by Mainland China (847) and the U.S. (396).

This significant difference is exemplified in the portfolio data. The largest local trademark portfolio (L'Oréal) had 6,523 registrations, whereas the largest portfolio from a foreign applicant (Colgate-Palmolive) had just 560.

Top 20 French Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local French Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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Germany (DPMA)

Since 2022, the number of trademark applications filed at the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) has increased annually by 2.7%, reflecting a solid interest in trademark protection in the region. The DPMA receives around 75,000 trademark applications each year, with around 10% coming from foreign-based applicants. Mainland China accounted for around half of all applications by non-German applicants.

Germany, like other EU national offices, has faced competition from the EUIPO for foreign applicants. Still, it continues to see regular, though moderate, annual growth.

German Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

German-owned brands were far more active filing abroad than foreign brands were filing in Germany. In 2024, German applicants filed over eight times as many trademark applications around the world than were sent to Germany.

• Outgoing German-based applications were vast. The EUIPO received almost 20,000 applications from German filers (19,489). Outside of Europe, Mainland China (8,201) and the U.S. (4,314) were key regions.
• Incoming foreign-based applications totaled only 6,821. Mainland China led with 3,356 filings, a consistent pattern across most jurisdictions we analyzed.

Local German applicants held larger portfolios, reflecting their deep-rooted presence and extensive operations within Germany.

Top 20 German Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local German Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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India (CGPDTM)

Despite its status as an emerging market, India currently has the third-most active trademark register in the world, having received over 537,000 new trademark applications in 2024.

Unlike other major registers, India has seen uninterrupted annual growth in trademark filing activity every year since 2018 and did not see a downturn in 2022. Over the past seven years, annual growth has averaged over 10%, driven by a strong domestic brand sector, which accounts for over 95% of trademark applications filed annually in India.

In 2024, Indian brand owners filed over 514,000 trademark applications in India, while applications from foreign-based owners totaled only 23,194. Applications from owners based outside of India have remained steady, averaging around 24,000 per year since 2015, indicating stable, but not significantly growing, interest from international brands.

Indian Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

A much larger volume of foreign filings (23,192) came into India in 2024 than the 9,373 applications Indian brand owners filed abroad.

• Incoming foreign-based applications were led by the U.S. (5,701), followed by Mainland China (3,385), Germany (1,371), and the U.K. (1,361).
• Outgoing Indian-based applications were primarily filed in the U.S. (1,429), followed by the United Arab Emirates (768) and Mainland China (661).

The pharmaceutical sector was notably active among local companies, with Alkem Laboratories, Ajanta Pharma, Cipla, and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals all holding significant portfolios.

Top 20 Indian Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local Indian Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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Mainland China (CNIPA)

Mainland China is a major player in the global brand landscape. However, 2024 also marked the third year of decline in trademark applications within Mainland China, with filing volumes at their lowest number since 2018.

Despite this decline, Mainland China continues to see the largest volume of trademark filings compared to any other jurisdiction in the world by a factor of ten. In 2024, 6.76 million trademark applications were filed at the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). Most of these were submitted by Chinese applicants.

Chinese Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

Foreign entities recognized the importance of securing their trademarks in Mainland China, with 174,610 applications filed by foreign brand owners in 2024. The Chinese market is strategic for global brands seeking to protect their IP and capitalize on the vast consumer base, especially given the local first-to-file system.

The scale of outgoing Chinese applications is particularly notable, with Chinese brand owners filing 350,484 applications abroad in 2024, demonstrating their global expansion ambitions.

• Incoming foreign-based applications were led by Hong Kong SAR (29,586), the U.S. (27,193), and the U.K. (24,425).
• Outgoing Chinese-based applications were enormous, totaling 350,484. The top destination was the U.S. (153,787), followed by the U.K. (29,931) and the EUIPO (25,443).

Local brand owners maintain much larger trademark portfolios than brand owners in any other jurisdiction. The portfolio size of foreign brands, while still impressive, is significantly lower.

Top 20 Mainland China Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local Chinese (Mainland) Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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Japan (JPO)

In 2024, trademark filing in Japan suggested a mature brand market with an overall decline in activity. When analyzing trademark applications filed at the Japan Patent Office (JPO), there is a noticeable decrease in activity over the last three years. With a total of 141,817 filings in 2024, Japan experienced its lowest volume of filing activity since 2017.

Japan is still a major exporter of trademark work, with Japanese applicants filing over 47,000 foreign trademark applications in 2024, compared to 26,000 incoming applications from foreign applicants.

Japanese Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

• Incoming foreign-based applications were eclipsed by Mainland China, which filed 14,740 applications. Companies from the U.S. and South Korea accounted for a combined 7,727 filings.
• Outgoing Japanese-based applications were also led by Mainland China (12,441), underscoring the importance of these two markets to each other. South Korea and Hong Kong SAR were also prominent, highlighting a strong focus on doing business in East Asia.

Examining trademark registrations in Japan reveals that local cosmetics companies Shiseido (7,626), Kao (7,445), and Kose (5,739) hold the largest portfolios.

Top 20 Japanese Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local Japanese Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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Australia (IP Australia)

While Australia is a relatively small market, its brands are highly active globally. In 2024, the Australian Patent and Trademark Office (IP Australia) received 69,125 trademark applications. This figure was nearly equal to 2021 filings, making 2024 the second-strongest year for Australian trademark filings in the last decade.

Some of this increase was attributed to foreign applicants. In the last two years, application volume from foreign applicants grew at 14.7% (2023) and 24% (2024). This growth predominantly came from Mainland China, with over 10,000 Australian trademark applications filed by Chinese applicants in 2024 (15% of the total volume and almost as many as all other foreign countries combined).

Australian Trademark Filing Activity by Applicant Location (2024)

In 2024, Australia's trademark landscape was dominated by a mutuality of interest between Mainland China, the U.S., and New Zealand.

• Incoming foreign-based applications were led by Mainland China (10,041), the U.S. (4,081), and New Zealand (975).
• Outgoing Australian-based applications were also led by these same countries: the U.S. (3,467), Mainland China (3,320), and New Zealand (1,880).

This reciprocity highlights a significant level of interconnection between these economies. The portfolio data shows that well-known global consumer brands are strongly represented in Australia, a consistent story across multiple regions.

Top 20 Australian Trademark Portfolios by Owner (as of January 1, 2025)

Local Australian Brand Owner

Foreign Brand Owner

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Conclusion

The findings in this report highlight the critical importance of adopting a nuanced approach to trademark IP strategies. Our analysis of trademark filing activities in these 10 key jurisdictions reveals significant insights into the regional trends that shape the global trademark landscape.

Our key findings include:

• Mainland China is an essential brand player in all 10 jurisdictions. It continues to dominate global trademark filings, underscoring its economic growth and expanding global brand presence. The sheer volume of international applications filed by Chinese brand owners each year makes Mainland China a major player and places greater pressure on international brands to act swiftly to protect their IP.
• Three jurisdictions show a strong presence of international brands. Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and the EUIPO all have a significant number of foreign brand owners filing new trademarks each year. Foreign filings have grown within the last two years for each region, with the U.S. experiencing the most significant growth at 25%.
• Three jurisdictions face three years of consistent decline. France, Mainland China, and Japan experienced a steady decrease in trademark filing activity in 2022, 2023, and 2024. All three jurisdictions ended 2024 with the lowest filing volumes seen since 2017.
• Three jurisdictions top the list as the most active registers. Mainland China continues to lead, despite its decline. The U.S. claims second place with 566,938 applications in 2024. However, India is rapidly closing in on the U.S. with over 537,000 new applications in 2024 and an average yearly growth of 10% over the last decade.
• Australia recovers to 2021 filing volume. Due to a substantial increase in foreign applications (up 24% in the last year), Australia finished 2024 with 69,125 trademark applications, only 19 applications shy of its 2021 volume.
• Seven brands consistently rank in the top 20. Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Apple, L'Oréal, Novartis, LG Electronics, and Unilever were each among the largest portfolio owners in at least seven of the ten registers analyzed, showing the power of global brand concentration.

These insights, drawn from the Signa global database, underscore the dynamic and complex nature of the modern trademark landscape. Understanding these regional and global shifts is essential for developing robust, forward-looking IP strategies. Signa remains committed to providing the clear, comprehensive data necessary to navigate this evolving environment.

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