Key numbers for 2024
65,000 (+1.2%) Madrid international applications
452,889 (+1.1%) Designations in international applications
62,423 (–1.9%) Madrid international registrations
66,581 (+3.5%) Subsequent designations in international registrations
40,228 (+2.4%) Renewals of international registrations
915,034 (+2.7%) Active (in force) international registrations
7,325,670 (+0.6%) Designations in active international registrations
115 (+1 member) Contracting Parties (Madrid members)
131 (+1 country) Countries covered
Statistics on Madrid international applications
Use of the international trademark system for brand protection in 2024 increased by 1.2% in 2024, reversing course after two years of decline. Trademark holders filed an estimated 65,000 international applications via the Madrid System in 2024
The estimated total number of international trademark applications filed via WIPO’s Madrid System for the International Registration of Marks in 2024 amounted to 65,000, which is 1.2% more than the previous year (figure 1). This marked a return to growth after two years of decline in the number of Madrid applications filed.
Qatar became a member of the Madrid System in 2024, increasing the total number of Madrid members to 115 covering 131 countries
Qatar joined the Madrid System in 2024, bringing the total number of members to 115 as of December 31, 2024, and further strengthening the System’s presence in Asia. With Qatar’s inclusion, the Madrid System now enables trademark holders to secure protection for their branded products and services across 131 countries. Together, Madrid members represent 68% of all countries globally, accounting for 82% of the world’s population and contributing around 90% of global gross domestic product (GDP), with the potential for future expansion as membership continues to grow.
Where were the biggest users of the Madrid System based in 2024?
In 2024, applicants located in the United States of America (US) (11,270) filed the highest number of international trademark applications, representing an increase of 2.5% compared to 2023. They were followed by applicants based in Germany (6,449), which saw 2.6% fewer applications than in the previous year. Applicants residing in China (5,828) held third spot in the ranking, filing 6.3% more applications than in 2023. They were followed by applicants located in France (4,211) and the United Kingdom (UK) (3,736), which both, like Germany, saw a small on-year declines of about 1–2% (figure 2).
Among the top 10 countries of origin, six recorded growth from 2023 to 2024. Of these, ninth-ranked the Republic of Korea saw the biggest increase of 12.1%, followed by three other top origins that, like China (+6.3%), had growth of around 6% – Italy (5.7%), Japan (+6.1%) and Switzerland (+6.1%).
The top 10 origins collectively accounted for nearly 70% of Madrid applications filed in 2024, a share that has remained largely consistent over the past decade. The composition and ranking of the top 10 origins in 2024 remained unchanged from 2023.
In 2024, applicants based in Madrid member countries in Europe continued to file the majority (51.3%) of Madrid applications. However, this represents a decline of about 14 percentage points compared to their combined share a decade earlier in 2014. While over half of all Madrid applications still originated in Europe in 2024, a quarter (25%) came from Asia, marking an increased share for that region of about nine percentage points from 2014, when it was only 16.3%. With Canada joining the Madrid System in 2019, 18.8% of applications in 2024 came from applicants based in Northern America, an increase of five percentage points from just 13.8% in 2014, when the US was the sole Madrid member within that geographical region (figure 3).
Whereas US applicants filed the highest number of Madrid applications in 2024, applicants based in China made the most designations (74,101) in applications, representing a 10% increase on 2023, and surpassing the US to become the largest origin of designations for expanding the geographical scope of protection for marks. With an on-year decline of 3.7%, designations from the US (73,004) were about 1,100 fewer than those from China. Rounding out the top five origins of designations, were Germany (38,676), France (27,110) and Switzerland (25,562). Similarly to the US, designations from France (–0.9%) and Germany (–4.2%) fell from 2023 to 2024, whereas designations from Switzerland increased considerably by 10.3%.
Among the top 20 origins of designations, 12 recorded an on-year decline, with Sweden (–26.1%) recording the largest, followed by Austria (–15.5%), the UK (–11.1%) and by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Russian Federation, which each saw a decrease of 10%. In contrast, Bulgaria recorded a markedly high on-year growth of 64.3%. In addition to Bulgaria, China and Switzerland, three other top origins saw double-digit growth. They were Canada (+16.6%), the Republic of Korea (+19%) and Singapore (+19.8%).
China’s higher number of total designations relative to Madrid applications filed is attributable to the fact that applicants based in China designated an average of around 13 Madrid members per application filed in 2024. Also high, applicants residing in Bulgaria designated an average of about 21 Madrid members per application in 2024. This is the highest average number among the top 20 origins of designations and considerably higher than the average of approximately five designations per application filed by applicants located, for example, in Australia, Austria, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Spain. In 2024, the average number of designations made in Madrid applications filed by all origins combined was seven, an average that has remained almost unchanged for over a decade.
L'Oréal of France maintained its leading position for a fourth consecutive year, having filed 244 Madrid applications in 2024
L’Oréal of France filed 244 Madrid applications in 2024, the highest number filed by any individual applicant that year. Novartis AG (193 applications) of Switzerland climbed two spots to become the second top filer, followed by Bulgaria’s Euro Games Technology (141). Rounding out the top fourth to sixth spot were Japanese beauty and cosmetics producer Shiseido Company (124) and two pharmaceutical companies: Boehringer Ingelheim International of Germany (106) and Egis Gyógyszergyár Zrt. (103) of Hungary (figure 4). Egis Gyógyszergyár Zrt. filed 54 more applications in 2024 than in 2023, propelling it from 18th position in 2023 to become the sixth most active applicant in 2024. Similarly, among the top 10 Madrid applicants, beauty and cosmetics company Amorepacific Corporation (+65 applications) of the Republic of Korea, Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD Company (+60), L’Oréal (+45), Novartis AG (+83) and auto parts retailer O’Reilly Automotive Stores (+76) of the US also recorded among the highest increases in applications filed between 2023 and 2024. In contrast, Boehringer Ingelheim International, which held fourth spot in 2023, filed four fewer applications in 2024 compared to the previous year, dropping down one spot to fifth place. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) filed 89 fewer Madrid applications in 2024, resulting in its ranking dropping from second top applicant in 2023 to 40th in 2024.
Among the top 60 Madrid applicants that filed 28 or more Madrid applications in 2024, 11 were pharmaceutical companies, seven were companies active in retail, clothing or footwear, seven were either technology companies or companies that produce consumer electronics, six companies were active in producing personal care or beauty products, four were automotive manufacturers, and four operating within the gaming industry. The remaining top applicants were active in industries spanning consumer goods, food and drink processing, household appliances, sporting goods, and video games, to name a few. Nearly half, or 26 of the top 60 applicants in 2024, were companies based in Europe. A further 18 were located in Asia, 16 in Northern America and one in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, specifically Brazil. Widening the scope to include the top approximately 100 Madrid applicants reveals that almost 47% were from Europe, about 27% from Asia, 24% from Northern America, 2% from Oceania, and 1% from the LAC region, while there were no applicants from Africa among the top filers. Between them, these top applicants accounted for 4,235 applications. However, this constitutes just under 7% of all Madrid applications filed in 2024, highlighting the widespread use of the Madrid System by many different applicants.
Companies located in 28 countries – including Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Spain, Türkiye and the US, among others – filed at least 20 Madrid applications in 2024, thereby ranking among the approximately 100 top Madrid applicants. For a third consecutive year, companies based in the US (24) were the most represented among top applicants. They were followed by top applicants based in Germany (11), China and Switzerland (8 each), Japan (7), the Republic of Korea (6) and Spain (5).
For which goods and services did trademark holders most seek protection?
Nice Classification statistics enable the kinds of goods and services most frequently covered by Madrid international trademark applications to be ranked. Over the past 15 years, Madrid applicants have specified, on average, between two and three Nice goods and services classes per application. In contrast to the increase in Madrid applications, the total number of classes specified in applications decreased slightly by 0.1% to 161,644 in 2024.
Since 1985, the most specified of the 45 Nice classes has been goods class 9, which includes computer hardware and software and other electrical or electronic apparatus of a scientific nature. In 2024, class 9 alone accounted for slightly more than a 10th (10.8%) of all classes specified in applications filed, but slightly less than the 11% recorded in 2023 (figure 5). The other most specified classes were class 35 (8.4% of the total), which covers services such as office functions, advertising and business management; class 42 (7.8%), which includes services provided by, for example, scientific, industrial or technological engineers and computer specialists; class 41 (5.3%), which mainly covers services in the areas of education, training, entertainment, sporting and cultural activities; goods class 5 (4.4%), which covers pharmaceuticals and other preparations for medical purposes; and both goods class 25, which relates to clothing and apparel, and goods class 3, which covers cleaning and toiletry preparations, accounting for 4.1% each. Three of the five most specified classes were services classes. Among the top 10 Nice classes specified in Madrid applications, five saw growth in 2024. Eighth-ranked goods class 7, which includes machines, machine tools, motors and engines, grew by 6.4% in 2024. It was followed by goods class 3, which covers cleaning preparations and toiletry preparations and which ranked seventh in 2024, with an on-year increase of 5.6%. The third was ninth-ranked goods class 30, which covers mainly foodstuffs of plant origin, with growth of 4.8%, and the fourth was previously mentioned class 25 (+2.4%). Expanding to include all 45 Nice classes, 25 saw a decrease compared to 2023, the largest being for goods class 34 (–27.7%), which covers tobacco and smokers' articles.
Services classes specified in Madrid applications filed in 2024 represented 35.9% of all the classes specified in these applications
The first 34 of the 45 Nice classes cover goods, whereas the remaining 11 cover services. Every year since 2018, over a third of all classes specified in Madrid applications were services classes. In 2022, this share reached an all-time high of 38.8%, but has since decreased to 35.9% in 2024. This is about six percentage points higher than the combined share of 29.7% recorded a decade and a half earlier in 2010 and reflects a general growth in the global services industry. However, goods and services class shares do differ across origins. For example, among selected origins, India (39.2%), Israel (41.3%), Kenya (73.7%), Switzerland (41.4%) and the US (40.1%) had the largest proportions of services-related classes in Madrid applications filed in 2024, accounting for about 39% or more of all classes specified by applicants based in these five countries. Other countries with a developed services sector, such as Australia, France, Germany, Sweden and the UK, also recorded relatively high shares of service-related classes in applications, ranging from about 36–39%. Conversely, China (17%), Italy (26.6%), Mexico (25.5%), Morocco (19.4%) and Viet Nam (24.9%) had services class shares below 27%. Among 20 selected origins, four – Australia (–1.9 percentage points), Mexico (–9.2), Morocco (–13.7) and the Russian Federation (–3.8) – saw their service class shares decrease compared to a decade earlier.
Research and technology remains the sector to receive the largest share of trademark protection via the Madrid System, accounting for about 22% of all classes specified in Madrid applications
For the purpose of statistical reporting, the 45 Nice classes are grouped into 10 industry sectors. The scientific research, information and communication technology sector (abbreviated to research and technology), which includes top Nice classes 9 and 42, among others, continued to account for the largest share (22%) of all classes specified in Madrid applications filed in 2024. It was followed by pharmaceuticals, health and cosmetics (abbreviated to health) (12.6% of total filing), business services (10.9%), and by leisure and education (10.5%). Clothing and accessories (10.3%) was the fifth placed industry sector, while agriculture (9.8%) occupied sixth spot. As in previous years, chemicals (3.4%), construction (7.2%), household equipment (6.8%) and transportation (6.5%) were the four sectors to receive the lowest shares of total filing.
The top three sectors for Madrid applications vary across origins. Research and technology was the top sector for eight of the top 10 origins (figure 6). The exceptions were Italy, which counted agriculture as its applicants’ top sector, and the Russian Federation, for which health ranked first. In addition, the health sector was either the second or third ranked sector for six of the top origins, and leisure and education for four. Business services was the third placed sector for applicants based in Australia and Switzerland. Clothing and accessories featured as the second or third ranked sector for applicants based in Italy, Japan and the UK; and agriculture was the second placed sector for the Russian Federation. China was the only origin for which household equipment and transportation were among its applicants’ top three sectors.
Where do Madrid applicants look to protect their trademarks internationally?
For a fourth consecutive year, the UK (28,877) received the most designations in Madrid applications in 2024, once again followed by the European Union (EU) (28,809). Because of Brexit, trademark holders could no longer seek protection for their marks in the UK via the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) once the transition period ended on December 31, 2020. Now, when using the Madrid System, holders must designate the UK separately, if they want to protect marks within this Madrid member’s jurisdiction. The UK and the EU were followed by the US (25,093), Canada (19,882) and China (18,560) (figure 7).
The 20 most designated Madrid members, combined, received 62.7% of all designations made in Madrid applications filed in 2024. Including China, nine of the top 20 designated Madrid members were middle-income countries: namely, Brazil (10,753), India (12,210), Indonesia (8,678), Malaysia (8,413), Mexico (11,804), Thailand (8,717), Türkiye (8,485) and Viet Nam (8,949). Among the top 20 destinations for international trademark registration via the Madrid System, 14 saw an increase on 2023 designations, with Viet Nam (+11.2%) and Thailand (+11%) seeing the largest growth, followed by Indonesia (+10.3%) and Malaysia (+9.3%). In contrast, the Russian Federation (–5.7%), Norway (–5.2%) and Switzerland (–5%) were the top designated members that saw the largest on-year decline.
Statistics on Madrid international registrations, renewals and active registrations
Trademark holders worldwide obtained 62,423 Madrid international registrations in 2024, a decrease of 1.9% compared to 2023
In 2024, WIPO recorded 62,423 Madrid registrations, nearly 1,200 fewer than in 2023 (figure 8). The long-term trend for Madrid registrations broadly follows that for Madrid applications; however, changes in the number of registrations from year to year can be more pronounced for registrations than for applications. Among the reasons why Madrid registrations might fluctuate considerably from to year to year is the time taken for Madrid applications to be processed at offices of origin before being transmitted to the International Bureau (IB) of WIPO, as well as the processing time required at the IB itself, which includes an irregularities procedure and time limits within which applicants and offices can remedy such irregularities.
How has the trend in subsequent designations evolved over time?
Subsequent designations are requests made by trademark holders to extend protection for existing Madrid registrations to cover new markets. The number of subsequent designations has increased from almost 38,400 in 2010 to 66,581 in 2024. This increase has been due not only to Madrid System accessions and the incentive for registration holders to extend protection to include the jurisdictions of new Madrid members, but also the desire by holders to expand their commercial activity into the markets of longer standing members of the Madrid System. There were 3.5% more subsequent designations made in Madrid registrations in 2024 than in 2023, marking a second year of growth after a decline in 2022. Although most requests for subsequent designations are submitted by holders directly to the IB, fluctuations in the number submitted via Madrid member offices year-on-year can be significant for the reasons given for international registrations.
How did trademark holders use subsequent designations to extend protection for their marks to additional export markets in 2024?
Canada (2,152) surpassed the US (2,094) to become the Madrid member to have received the highest number of subsequent designations in 2024 (figure 9). Canada and the US were followed by Mexico (2,046), which moved up two places from fifth in 2023 to third spot. China held the position of most subsequently designated country every year between 2004 and 2022, but was fourth in 2024, having fallen to third position in 2023. This decline has been due, in part, to annual decreases of about 7–8% in the number of subsequent designations received in each of the last two years. The United Arab Emirates (1,847) and India (1,690) round out the top six in 2024.
The 20 most designated Madrid member countries received close to half (48.4%) of all subsequent designations in 2024, a share similar to that in 2023. Eleven of the top member countries received fewer subsequent designations than the year before, compared to just three in 2023. China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Türkiye recorded the steepest declines of around 5–8%. Among the nine top 20 member countries to record an on-year increase, a high growth rate for India (+16%) propelled it from the 15th most subsequently designated Madrid member in 2023 up to sixth spot in 2024. Similarly, a high growth rate of 12% lifted Chile from 23rd most subsequently designated member in 2023 to 18th spot in 2024.
Nine of the top 20 subsequently designated Madrid members in 2024 were in the middle-income category, and five of these were among the top 10, demonstrating the widespread appeal of developing markets to Madrid registration holders looking to extend protection for their marks.
Twelve of the top 15 designated Madrid members received their largest shares of subsequent designations from both Germany and the US. Holders from Japan made this country the top origin of subsequent designations in the Philippines and the second top origin of subsequent designations in Malaysia and the US. Italy was the third largest origin of subsequent designations of Canada, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates and the US, while France was the third largest origin for China, Mexico and the Republic of Korea.
Holders renewed 40,228 Madrid international registrations in 2024
Holders renewed 40,228 Madrid registrations in 2024, an increase of 2.4% on the previous year. The number of renewals in any given year depends both on the number of Madrid registrations and the number of renewals recorded 10 years prior. Therefore, the trend seen in figure 10 is only a partial reflection of the trend in registrations with a 10-year lag. Renewals in 2024 were 1.5 times the number recorded in 2014 and have since trended upward, despite a modest decline in 2017 and a more considerable drop of 6.9% in 2019.
The highest number of renewals in 2024 were recorded by holders from Germany, France, the US, Italy and Switzerland
Holders from Germany (8,372), France (4,801), the US (3,699), Italy (3,268) and Switzerland (2,990) recorded the highest number of Madrid registration renewals in 2024 (figure 11). In respect to Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, this is a reflection of their long-standing membership of the Madrid System. Thanks in part to a high on-year growth of 19.6%, the US surpassed Switzerland to rank third in terms of renewals in 2024. Italy’s high growth rate of 9.4% also moved it ahead of fifth-ranked Switzerland to the number four spot, with renewals from Switzerland having fallen by 5.8%. Together, the top five origins of renewals accounted for over half (57.5%) of all renewals in 2024; and their holders’ stocks of international registrations have often been maintained for many decades. Among the top 10 origins of renewals, ninth-ranked China (–16.3%) recorded the largest on-year decline.
Half of all international registrations recorded since the Madrid System was established in 1891 remain active
Of the 1.83 million international registrations recorded since the creation of the Madrid System, half (915,034) remained active – that is, in force – in 2024. Totaling about 542,700 in 2010, active Madrid registrations have increased by between about 2–5% each subsequent year. In 2024, the total number of active Madrid registrations grew by 2.7%.
Holders from just five countries – Germany, the US, France, China and Switzerland – owned over half (50.7%) of all Madrid registrations active in 2024
Madrid registration holders domiciled in Germany (146,383) owned the highest number of active registrations in 2024, followed by holders in the US (107,931), France (87,378), China (62,035) and Switzerland (60,648) (figure 12). A growth rate of 6.7% moved China ahead of Switzerland to rank fourth in 2024. Together, holders domiciled in the top 10 countries of origin owned almost 72% of all active Madrid registrations in 2024. In addition to the substantial increase recorded by holders in China, holders based in top origins Japan (+5.6%) and the US (+5.8%) also saw their stocks of active Madrid registrations grow the most between 2023 and 2024.
Statistics on administration, revenue and fees
In 2024, 87.9% of Madrid applications were submitted to the IB electronically rather than in paper form, a marked rise from a decade and a half earlier in 2010, when just 38.2% of all applications were submitted electronically
Electronic transmission was introduced in 1998, when it accounted for just 0.2% of total transmissions to the International Bureau (IB) of WIPO that year. Since then, the proportion of Madrid applications received electronically by the IB has grown considerably. In 2024, 87.9% of all Madrid applications were submitted to the IB electronically, up from 38.2% a decade and a half earlier.
Around four out of every five Madrid applications were submitted to the IB in English
In 2024, 84.7% of Madrid applications were submitted in English, 12.6% in French and 2.7% in Spanish (figure 13). Every year since 2014, about four out of every five applications have been submitted in English. The reason for only a small proportion of applications having been submitted in Spanish since it was introduced as an official Madrid language in 2004 is that, to date, the Madrid System includes only five Spanish-speaking countries (Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Spain), of which Spain alone is a top 20 origin of Madrid applications.
Just over half (55.6%) of all Madrid applications received by the IB in 2024 met all formal requirements
The IB considers irregular any Madrid application that fails to meet all formal requirements, including the classification of goods and services in accordance with the International Nice Classification. In such cases, the IB informs both the Madrid member’s office of origin and the applicant of the irregularities. Responsibility for remedying them lies with either the office of origin or the applicant, depending on the nature of the irregularity. In 2024, 55.6% of Madrid applications met all formal requirements. This means that 44.4% of all Madrid applications contained irregularities, a considerable proportion of which were classification irregularities. Every year since 2014, over a third of all Madrid applications received by the IB have contained irregularities.
Holders of Madrid registrations submitted 84% of subsequent designations directly to WIPO in 2024, similar to the share recorded in 2023
Holders of a Madrid registration can request subsequent designation of Madrid members via their respective office or directly with the IB itself. Since 2017, holders have submitted about 80–84% of requests for subsequent designation directly to the IB without going via their national or regional office. Requests by holders choosing this route have grown from about 41% in 2010 to an 84% share of the total in 2024.
Recordings of changes in ownership of Madrid registrations remain relatively low
An international registration may change ownership following either assignment of a mark, the merger of one or more companies, a court decision, or for other reasons. Such a change is subject to the new owner being recorded as the new holder of the registration in the International Register. Any new holder must meet the requirements necessary for holding an international registration. They include having entitlement, that is, the required connection to a Madrid member, which means either being a national of, domiciled in, or having a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in a Madrid member’s jurisdiction.
In 2024, the IB recorded 22,870 changes in ownership of international registrations. This is almost 720 or 3.2% more than in 2023. The proportion of active registrations changing ownership every year is small and has remained relatively stable over time, amounting to no more than 2% to about 3% of all active Madrid registrations a year.