The Global Surge in First-Time Trademark Filers: Mapping the Trademark Boom

In contrast to the first-time patent filers trends, the trademark landscape tells a slightly different story – one of balance. Between 2020 and 2021, both first‑time trademark filers and total filers grew strongly, peaking around 2021, which aligns with a global post‑pandemic surge in entrepreneurial and digital activity. At the same time, after 2021, both filers and filings declined gradually through 2025, suggesting a normalization or saturation — a common post‑expansion pattern.

Around half (48–52%) of all annual filers are first‑time participants, showing a continually renewing base of new market entrants. Share of first‑time trademark filings climbed from 34% (2022) to 38% (2025) despite a general drop in total volumes, indicating newcomers are becoming more significant.

While first‑time filers are gaining share, established filers still account for roughly 60–65% of all filings — reflecting the sustained intensity of ongoing brand maintenance by mature firms. The convergence between first‑time and established shares (especially filings) implies a balancing trademark ecosystem, not dominated entirely by either group.

Between 2020 and 2025, global trademark activity has been heavily concentrated in a few dominant jurisdictions, with China alone accounting for 36% of all first‑time filers and more than half of global first‑time filings.

The United States remains a strong second, contributing about 9% of first-time trademark filers but with a distinctly lower filing intensity per filer.

Europe demonstrates a distributed yet robust trademark environment, with France, the UK, Germany, and the EUIPO collectively representing around 16% of first‑time filers.

Meanwhile, emerging economies such as Mexico, Brazil, and India each contribute roughly 3–5%, signaling rapid regional growth in brand awareness and IP activity. Altogether, the top fifteen jurisdictions account for nearly 80% of first‑time filers and over 85% of filings, underscoring the geographic concentration of trademark expansion.

China leads not only in the number of trademark filers but also in how actively they file, with about 3.4 filings per first‑time filer and 5.3 per established filer. This shows a strong culture of registering multiple trademarks, especially among entrepreneurs and small businesses. South Korea and India show similar trends, with more than two filings per first‑time filer, suggesting that many new businesses in these countries are expanding their brand portfolios and becoming increasingly brand‑aware.

In contrast, Western markets such as the United States, France, Germany, and the UK show lower averages (1 – 2), illustrating more targeted brand protection strategies and a focus on quality over quantity.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s nearly equal ratios between first‑time trademark filers and established filers suggest a balanced and stable trademark ecosystem, while Latin American markets like Mexico and Brazil demonstrate moderate but consistent multi‑filing behavior. Overall, established filers consistently file more intensively than newcomers, confirming that once brands mature, they tend to widen their coverage across goods, services, or jurisdictions.

For trademark law firms, these dynamics carry clear strategic implications. In high‑intensity markets such as China, India, and South Korea, firms should focus on portfolio management, class expansion, and brand enforcement services to meet the needs of repeat clients with complex filing patterns. Conversely, in mature markets like the U.S. and Europe, opportunity lies in strategic advisory and renewal optimization, where clients prioritize precision and long‑term protection over volume. Overall, the data suggests that global IP practices should balance volume‑based support in Asia and Latin America with strategic portfolio services in the West — a dual‑focus model aligning business development with the divergent behaviors of global filers.

Major corporations like Alibaba Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd. and Tencent Cloud Computing (Beijing) Co. Ltd. also appear prominently, reflecting the integration of trademark registration within broader digital business strategies. Traditional firms such as Ciprun Group, SHN Fan Law Firm, Gaowo Intellectual Property Firm, and Lianrui IP Agency continue to maintain strong positions, focusing on professional IP management and legal expertise.

Together, these firms illustrate a maturing Chinese IP service market—one blending massive online filing volume, corporate IP consolidation, and a growing specialization in digital intellectual property protection.

Prominent firms such as LegalZoom represents the platform-based filing sector, providing accessible and affordable registration tools for startups and small businesses. Traditional IP-heavyweight firms like Fish & Richardson, Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP, and Knobbe Martens continue to dominate the high-value, complex IP portfolios of established companies. Boutique agencies such as Gerben Law Firm, Smith & Hopen PA, and Muncy, Geissler, Olds & Lowe serve as intermediaries between large firms and budget platforms, focusing on customized trademark filing and enforcement.

Top players such as Germain Maureau, Ipsilon, and Cabinet Fidal Innovation exemplify France’s strong tradition in precise legal practice and long-term brand protection. Major European groups like Santarelli Group, Plasseraud IP, and Cabinet Beau de Loménie maintain leadership in cross-border filings and EU trademark management, while specialized firms such as Cabinet Yamark, Cabinet Brev’Sud, and Regimbeau provide tailored counsel for niche industries. Together, these firms illustrate a mature, expertise-driven IP environment that prioritizes quality, consistency, and international coordination over volume, cementing France’s reputation as a key intellectual property hub within Europe.

The Mexican intellectual property landscape is an energetic mix of traditional law firms, digital IP service providers, and hybrid platforms serving a rapidly expanding SME and startup base. Dominant names such as Olivares & Cía, Arochi & Lindner, and Uhthoff, Gómez Vega & Uhthoff represent the institutional backbone of Mexico’s IP legal infrastructure. Global firms such as Baker McKenzie and Arias maintain strong presences, serving multinational portfolios and bridging domestic filings with Latin American and international IP systems.

Brazil’s intellectual property services market is a dynamic blend of digital trademark filing startups, specialized consultancies, and long-established legal firms, collectively fueling one of the most active IP environments in Latin America. The top entity, Consolide Assessoria Empresarial Online Ltda, stands out dramatically, indicating the growing dominance of web-based filing platforms. Following closely are established firms such as Vilage Marcas e Patentes Ltda and Província Marcas e Patentes which bridge traditional legal expertise with increasingly digitalized filing services.

Meanwhile, legacy powerhouse firms like Montaury Pimenta Machado & Vieira de Mello and LB Intellectual Property maintain authority in complex IP management, while dozens of mid-sized agencies such as Direção, Ágora Marcas, and Suprema Marcas e Patentes—anchor a thriving small-business filing niche across Brazil’s regional markets.