In November 2022, WIPO published its latest update of the World Intellectual Property Indicators report.

According to the latest results, global patent applications returned to pre-Covid-19 levels in 2021, with 3.4 million patent applications filled, representing a growth of 3.6 % compared to 2020. The main driver of this growth came from China, which made 88,504 more applications than it did in 2020, combined with robust contributions from the intellectual property (IP) office of the Republic of Korea (11,239 additional applications) and the European Patent Office (EPO) (8,432).  

In 2021, China received 1.59 million patent applications, more than double the number received by the United States of America. The volume of applications received by The National Intellectual Property Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNIPA) is similar in magnitude to the combined total of the next 12 offices ranked from second to 13^th. Of the top 20 offices, eight were located in Asia, six in Europe, two each in North America and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), and one each in Africa and Oceania. The share of Asian patent activity has also increased significantly in the last 10 years, with Asia moving from a share of 54.6 % in 2011 to 67.6 % in 2021. The European share declined from 15.5 % to 10.5 %, while North America declined from 25% to 18.5 %.

However, within the top 10 offices, there is a substantial variation in the source of applications. For example, non-resident applicants accounted for nine out of 10 applications received by the IP office of Australia, but only one in 10 applications received by the IP office of China. Along with the IP office of Australia (90.8 %), the offices of Canada (87.3 %), the EPO (55.6 %), India (57.3 %) and the United States of America (US) (55.7 %) received a majority of their applications from non-resident applicants.

An estimated 13.9 million trademark applications were filed worldwide in 2021, an increase of 4 % compared to 2020. This was the twelfth consecutive year of growth following the end of the global financial crisis in 2009.

More information.