China Dominates Global Patent Filings in 2024, WIPO Report Confirms

China Leads Global Innovation Landscape

China maintained its position as the world leader in patent filings in 2024, submitting approximately 1.8 million applications. This figure represents nearly half of the 3.7 million global patent applications recorded for the year, according to the latest data released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The global total marked a 4.9 percent increase from 2023, extending a five-year growth streak in worldwide patent activity.

The WIPO report highlights China's substantial lead over other nations, including the United States.

Significant Gap with Other Leading Nations

In 2024, China's 1.8 million patent applications significantly surpassed those of other major economies. The United States ranked second with 501,831 filings, meaning China filed more than three times the number of patents compared to the U.S. Following the U.S. were Japan with 419,132 applications, South Korea with 295,722, and Germany with 133,485.

China's patent filings also saw robust growth, increasing by 9.3 percent year-on-year, which was its fastest rate of growth since 2018.

Driving Factors and Broader IP Dominance

China's continued dominance in global patent filings is attributed to several factors, including sustained national innovation strategies, optimized innovation ecosystems, and accelerated industrial upgrading. The country's total social investment in research and development (R&D) exceeded 3.6 trillion yuan ($505.6 billion) in 2024, reflecting an 8.3 percent year-on-year increase.

Beyond patents, China also led in other intellectual property categories in 2024:

• Utility Models: China accounted for 97.8 percent of global utility model filings.
• Trademarks: China held a 47.9 percent share of global trademark filings.
• Designs: China represented 58.2 percent of patent applications for designs.

Globally, approximately 2.1 million patents were granted in 2024, with China's contributions driving much of this growth. The country issued about 124,000 additional patents in 2024 compared to 2023, an increase 27 times higher than that of the U.S.

Technological Focus

In terms of technological fields, computer technology remained the most frequently featured area in published patent applications worldwide, accounting for 13.2 percent of the total. This was followed by electrical machinery, measurement technology, digital communication, and medical technology, which have consistently ranked among the top five fields since 2012.