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About the Author. Mark Xu, Chinese trademark lawyer, founder of LegalFly IP, Master Degree of International Law of Law School of Nanjing University (QS top 100, Chinese Mainland top 5). 8-year experience of trademark service, successfully registered 1,000+ Chinese trademarks for foreign clients.

WhatsApp: +86-167-8881-8032; E-mail: markxu@legalflyip.com

According to data released by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), applicants from 178 countries and regions filed trademark registrations in China in 2025, an increase of 5 compared with 2024. The total number of registered trademarks exceeded 180,000, remaining roughly the same as the figure for 2024.

This article analyzes trademark registration activities of foreign applicants in China in 2025 from four perspectives: overall performance, major source countries and regions, trademark registration classes, and approaches to extending trademark rights to China.

I. Overall Performance

A total of 183,913 trademarks were registered by foreign applicants in China in 2025. The breakdown by continent is shown in the table below:

The total number of trademarks registered by foreign applicants in China stood at 183,913 in 2025, nearly unchanged from 183,949 in 2024.

II. Major Source Countries and Regions

In 2025, foreign trademark registrations in China came from 178 countries and regions. The top 10 countries by registration volume are listed as follows:

The ranking of the top 10 countries remained the same as in 2024. The United States, South Korea, and Germany recorded the most prominent year-on-year growth, while the rest saw declines to varying degrees.

III. Distribution of Trademark Registration Classes

The top 10 trademark classes for foreign applicants in China in 2025 are presented below:

The overall ranking of the top 10 classes was basically consistent with that of 2024. Class 29 (Food) dropped out of the top 10, while Class 18 (Leather Goods and Luggage) entered the list.

IV. Approaches to Extending Trademark Rights to China

Foreign applicants mainly adopt two ways to obtain trademark protection in China: the Madrid System, and national individual applications. The volume and proportion of each approach in 2025 are shown below:

25.81% of foreign applicants extended their trademark rights to China via the Madrid System, and 74.19% chose to file national individual applications directly.

V. Summary

1. Stable Total Volume with Diversified Sources

The total number of trademarks registered by foreign applicants in China reached 183,913 in 2025, almost equal to the 2024 figure of 183,949. Meanwhile, the number of source countries and regions rose to 178, a net increase of 5 year on year, indicating further diversification of trademark applicants.

2. Continental Pattern: North America Achieves Rapid Growth

In terms of continental share, Europe accounted for 39.2%, Asia 27.6%, and North America 27.5%. The three continents together took up over 94% of total registrations, and the gap between North America and Europe narrowed remarkably.

Europe still ranked first with 72,131 registrations. North America, led by the United States, posted a robust growth of 24.10%, making it one of the fastest-growing regions.

3. Stable Landscape of Traditional Major Countries

The top 10 source countries maintained their 2024 rankings. The United States, Germany and South Korea saw notable growth: the United States grew by 14.17%, Germany 7.11%, and South Korea 6.12%. By contrast, the United Kingdom and France experienced sharp declines of 28.24% and 17.27% respectively, becoming the main drags on Europe’s overall registration volume.

As the largest source country, the United States recorded 42,125 registrations with strong growth, acting as the core driving force behind North America’s performance. Japan and South Korea, major neighboring economies, ranked third and fourth respectively with steady performance.

4. Sustained Popularity of Technology, Commercial and Consumer Goods Classes

Class 9 (Scientific Instruments) topped the list with 15,524 registrations, followed by Class 35 (Advertising and Sales Services) and Class 3 (Daily Chemicals). Class 18 (Leather Goods and Luggage) newly entered the top 10, replacing Class 29 (Food).

5. National Individual Application Remains the Dominant Choice

National individual application is the mainstream option for foreign trademark applicants in China, accounting for 74.19% of all cases. Only 25.81% of applicants used the Madrid System for trademark extension.

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