Recently, the China National Intellectual Property Administration released the latest data:
Annual trademark registrations in 2024: 4.781 million
Average trademark examination period: stabilized at 4 months
Domestic valid trademark registrations by the end of 2024: 47.62 million
Total applications in 2024 (Q1–Q4 nationwide statistics): 6.786 million
According to calculations by Lao Yang from Putui Intellectual Property, excluding holidays, daily applications average around 20,000.
The average trademark examination period remains stable at 4 months. Applicants typically receive results (preliminary approval, rejection, or partial rejection) within about 4 months. If no opposition arises during the preliminary approval period, the certificate is issued. With 47.62 million valid trademarks, most desirable names are already taken. Solutions include:
Adding characters to names,
Pursuing reexamination after rejection,
Exhausting creativity to devise distinct and non-similar names, or
Opportunistically registering lapsed trademarks due to non-renewal.
With daily applications around 20,000 and a trademark search blackout period of approximately 20 days (during which new applications are invisible), it is advisable to file immediately once a name is finalized. Delays risk conflicts with identical names filed days earlier—or even lottery drawings for same-day applications.
Based on overall data, Lao Yang notes the top 10 provinces by application volume:
Guangdong
Zhejiang
Jiangsu
Shandong
Beijing
Henan
Shanghai
Fujian
Sichuan
Hebei
Application volumes reflect regional economic development.
The top 10 trademark classes are:
Class 35 (Advertising & Sales)
Class 30 (Staple Foods)
Class 43 (Food Services)
Class 29 (Meat/Dairy)
Class 9 (Electronics/Software)
Class 25 (Clothing/Footwear)
Class 5 (Pharmaceuticals)
Class 3 (Cosmetics)
Class 33 (Alcoholic Beverages)
Class 41 (Education/Entertainment)
Class 35 (Advertising & Sales), though not universally applicable, has ranked first in application volume for years. It covers advertising, sales agency for others, and integrates with other classes. When applying for core-class trademarks, applicants often add Class 35. The remaining top classes represent key sectors: food, beverages, dining, tech, apparel, medicine, cosmetics, and education/entertainment—summarized as “food, drink, daily necessities, apparel, medical/beauty, and training”—reflecting future industry trends.