China Continues to be Top Origin of PCT Applications in 2023 

According to the recently published WIPO IP Facts and Figures, around 272,600 PCT international applications were filed in 2023, down 1.8% from 2022, reversing for the first time the upward trend since 2010, which, as noted by WIPO director general Mr. Daren Tang, reflected the impact of higher interest rates and economic uncertainties on innovation activity in 2023.

Among the 2023 global PCT filings, 69,610 applications came from China, accounting for about 25% of the total. Despite a small decrease of 0.6% from the previous year, China continued to be the top origin of PCT applications, followed by the US with 55,678 applications (down 5.3% year-on-year). The rest of the top 10 origins were: Japan (48,879, down 2.9%), Korea (22,288, up 1.2%), Germany (16,916, down 3.2%), France (7,916, up 2%), the UK (5,586, down 2.3%), Switzerland (5,382, down 1.2%), Sweden (4,323, down 3.5%), and the Netherlands (4,258, up 5.8%).

China's Huawei Technologies remained the top filer of PCT international applications in 2023. It was followed by Samsung Electronics from Korea, Qualcomm from the US, Mitsubishi Electric of Japan, and BOE Technology Group of China.

Among the published international patent applications, the field of computer technology accounted for the highest proportion at 10.2%, followed by digital communications (9.4%), electrical machinery (7.9%), medical technology (6.7%), and pharmaceuticals (4.7%). Applicants from China filed mostly in digital communication; the US mostly in computer technology; and Japan, Korea and Germany mostly in electrical machinery.

The WIPO data also revealed that in 2023, applications in the international trademark system fell 7% while those in the international design system defied the downward trend to grow by 1% with expanded activity by China.