IP Facts and Figures

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Explore WIPO’s latest complete data on intellectual property activity around the world.
For the full datasets behind these interactive charts, visit the IP Statistics Data Center.

Select IP right:
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Which countries are the biggest users of the PCT System?

  1. 2023
  2. 2024
  1. China
    70,160
    🡑0.9%
  2. US
    54,087
    🡓2.8%
  3. Japan
    48,397
    🡓1.2%
  4. Republic of Korea
    23,851
    🡑7.1%
  5. Germany
    16,721
    🡓1.3%
  6. France
    8,125
    🡑2.7%
  7. UK
    5,861
    🡑5.3%
  8. Switzerland
    5,324
    🡓1.4%
  9. India
    4,552
    🡑22.2%
  10. Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
    4,310
    🡑1.3%
Around 273,900 PCT international applications were filed in 2024, up 0.5% on 2023, marking a return to growth. Applicants from China filed the most PCT applications. The US, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Germany completed the list of the top five origins. The top 10 countries accounted for 88.1% of total applications in 2024.
Source: WIPO Statistics Database, March 2025
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What were the top technologies for PCT applications from different countries?

  1. China
  2. US
  3. Japan
  4. Republic of Korea
  5. Germany
  1. Digital communication
    1. 1st
      % of country's 2024 applications 18.0%
    2. 3rd
      % of country's 2024 applications 10.7%
    3. 2nd
      % of country's 2024 applications 6.9%
    4. 1st
      % of country's 2024 applications 13.3%
    5. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 2.4%
  2. Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
    1. 3rd
      % of country's 2024 applications 10.5%
    2. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 4.0%
    3. 1st
      % of country's 2024 applications 11.9%
    4. 2nd
      % of country's 2024 applications 11.7%
    5. 1st
      % of country's 2024 applications 12.1%
  3. Computer technology
    1. 2nd
      % of country's 2024 applications 13.5%
    2. 1st
      % of country's 2024 applications 12.6%
    3. 3rd
      % of country's 2024 applications 6.8%
    4. 3rd
      % of country's 2024 applications 10.5%
    5. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 5.5%
  4. Medical technology
    1. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 3.5%
    2. 2nd
      % of country's 2024 applications 11.0%
    3. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 3.9%
    4. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 6.3%
    5. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 4.7%
  5. Transport
    1. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 3.3%
    2. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 2.3%
    3. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 4.2%
    4. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 2.2%
    5. 2nd
      % of country's 2024 applications 10.9%
  6. Measurement
    1. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 3.8%
    2. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 3.9%
    3. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 5.4%
    4. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 3.9%
    5. 3rd
      % of country's 2024 applications 6.1%
  7. Audio-visual technology
    1. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 5.5%
    2. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 2.4%
    3. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 4.2%
    4. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 5.0%
    5. th
      % of country's 2024 applications 1.6%
In 2024, applicants from China and the Republic of Korea filed mostly in digital communication, and those from the US filed mostly in computer technology. For applicants based in Germany and Japan, electrical machinery was the top technical field.
Note: Based on published PCT applications.
Source: WIPO Statistics Database, March 2025
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Which firms lead PCT international patent filings?

Sort by:
Firm
Country
  1. HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    China
    Applications 6,600
    HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
  1. SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Republic of Korea
    Applications 4,640
    SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
  1. QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    US
    Applications 3,848
    QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
  1. LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Republic of Korea
    Applications 2,083
    LG ELECTRONICS INC.
  1. CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
    China
    Applications 1,993
    CONTEMPORARY AMPEREX TECHNOLOGY CO., LIMITED
  1. BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO.,LTD
    China
    Applications 1,959
    BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO.,LTD
  1. MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Japan
    Applications 1,956
    MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
  1. BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
    China
    Applications 1,889
    BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
  1. TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
    Sweden
    Applications 1,886
    TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  1. NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Japan
    Applications 1,877
    NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
China’s Huawei Technologies remained the top filer of PCT international applications in 2024. It was followed by Samsung Electronics from the Republic of Korea, Qualcomm from the US, LG Electronics from the Republic of Korea, and Contemporary Amperex Technology of China. Among the top 10 users, eight were located in Asia.
Note: Based on published PCT applications.
Source: WIPO Statistics Database, March 2025
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Which offices received the most patent applications?

  1. Other offices
WORLD
patent applications
100%
3,552,100
applications
  1. China
    47.2%
  2. US
    16.8%
  3. Japan
    8.4%
  4. Republic of Korea
    6.8%
  5. EPO*
    5.6%
  6. 6.9%
The combined share of the top five offices constituted a substantial 85% of the world total.
Note: * EPO is the European Patent Office
Source: WIPO Statistics Database, March 2025
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Applicants from which countries filed the most patent applications?

  1. 2022
  2. 2023
  1. China
    1,642,582
    🡑3.7%
  2. US
    518,791
    🡑2.6%
  3. Japan
    414,479
    🡑2.2%
  4. Republic of Korea
    288,001
    🡑5.8%
  5. Germany
    133,140
    🡑1.5%
  6. India
    64,510
    🡑15.7%
  7. France
    52,684
    🡓3.0%
  8. UK
    48,297
    🡑0.9%
  9. Switzerland
    41,975
    🡑4.5%
  10. Italy
    26,864
    🡑1.5%
Applicants based in nine of the top 10 origins filed more patent applications in 2023 than in 2022. India-based applicants saw a remarkable 15.7% increase in patent applications filed worldwide, marking their fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth, primarily driven by resident filings in India.
Source: WIPO Statistics Database, March 2025
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Global IP filing activity in 2023

  1. 2022
  2. 2023
  1. Patents
    3.6 million
    2023 filings 3,552,100
    2022 filings 3,457,800
    Growth 🡑2.7
  2. Utility models
    3.1 million
    2023 filings 3,127,960
    2022 filings 3,011,620
    Growth 🡑3.9
  3. Trademarks*
    15.2 million
    2023 filings 15,234,900
    2022 filings 15,551,900
    Growth 🡓2.0
  4. Industrial designs**
    1.5 million
    2023 filings 1,524,000
    2022 filings 1,482,600
    Growth 🡑2.8
Patent filings worldwide grew by 2.7% in 2023, reaching approximately 3.6 million. Industrial design filing activity also grew in 2023, increasing by 2.8% to 1.5 million designs in applications filed in 2023. On the other hand, trademark filing dropped by 2% to 15.2 million classes in applications. Applications for utility models – a special form of patent right – grew by 3.9% to number 3.1 million applications.
Note: * refers to class count – the total number of goods and services classes specified in trademark applications. ** refers to design count – the total number of designs contained in industrial design applications.
Source: WIPO Statistics Database, March 2025
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