The global rulebook (the “standards” of IP)

TRIPS (WTO) sets the baseline patent rules most countries follow. WIPO
WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is the backbone for cross-border filing—a single international application that can later proceed in >150 jurisdictions. WIPO
Operational standards used by offices worldwide include WIPO ST.96 (data exchange) and ST.26 (sequence listings in XML; in force since July 1, 2022). WIPO+1
Europe’s Unitary Patent (since June 1, 2023) created a one-stop title across participating EU states—changing filing and enforcement strategy in that region. EPO
New policy signal: in May 2024, WIPO members adopted a treaty on genetic resources and disclosure of origin—the first new multilateral IP treaty in a decade. WIPO

Countries in the lead (2015–2024)

Two views matter: (1) all patent applications filed at national/regional offices; (2) PCT international filings (a cleaner proxy for global ambitions).

Worldwide filings hit a record 3.55 million in 2023, up 2.7% YoY. Asia’s share climbed to 68.7% (up ~10 points vs. 2013). Offices receiving the most applications in 2023: CNIPA (China) 1.68m, USPTO (US) 598k, JPO (Japan) 300k, KIPO (Korea) 243k, EPO 199k. WIPO
Abroad filings (high-value indicator): in 2023 the US led (≈242k), followed by Japan, China, Korea, Germany. WIPO
PCT 2024 (international phase) snapshot: total 273,900 (+0.5% YoY). Top origins by filing: China 70,160, US 54,087, Japan 48,155, Korea 25,642, Germany 17,409. (Note WIPO also reports published PCTs, which can differ slightly from filings.) WIPO National Law Review
Africa & emerging shifts: 2023 resident filing shares rose notably in India (resident share 55.2% for the first time); several African and regional offices (ARIPO, OAPI) saw declines that year as non-resident filing softened. WIPO

Companies in the lead (latest)

PCT 2024 top corporate filers: Huawei (6,634) > Samsung (6,117) > BOE (3,803) > Mitsubishi Electric (3,158) > Qualcomm (3,152) > CATL (3,104) > LG Electronics (2,797) > Canon (2,774) > Ericsson (2,304) > Oppo (1,886). Fields were dominated by digital communication and computer technology. WIPO
Europe (EPO) 2024: Samsung returned to #1 applicant; Huawei ranked near the top—evidence of Korea/China strength in Europe, too. Juve Patent IPWatchdog

The technology mix: how it changed in 10 years

PCT technology shares (2014 → 2024):

Electrical engineering rose from 35.2% → 40.4% of PCT filings; digital communication (incl. 5G/6G) and computer technology sit at the top.
EPO data echo this: digital comms, computer tech, and medical tech have been among Europe’s largest filing fields since 2019. EPO

Exploding sub-domains (2014–2024):

Generative AI (GenAI): patent families grew from ~733 (2014) to >14,000 (2023); China leads GenAI patenting by a wide margin. GANs dominate counts, with fast growth in LLMs and diffusion models. WIPO+1 Reuters
Electrification & batteries: patent families for batteries in mobility rose to ~41,000 in 2023; solid-state batteries climbed from 290 (2010) to 2,033 (2023). WIPO+1

Standards & “SEP” leadership (who shapes tech standards)

Patents essential to standards (SEPs) affect licensing in 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, codecs, etc. Rankings vary by counting method, but robust studies agree on the main players:

5G SEPs: Huawei consistently ranks first by declared 5G families; other leaders include Qualcomm, Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson, ZTE. (Methodologies differ—declaration vs. essentiality-checked.) WIPO
Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11) SEPs: leadership is split among Qualcomm, Samsung, Huawei, Broadcom, Intel depending on generation and metric; declarations are via IEEE/ETSI databases. WIPO+1

What this means (strategy takeaways)

File where you plan to commercialize—use PCT to keep options open for 30 months, then enter key national phases (CN, US, JP, KR, EPO). WIPO
Expect Asia-centric competition: China and Korea now anchor the global center of gravity; abroad-filing data still show strong US/Japan outbound strength. WIPO
Prioritize SEP-heavy areas (5G/6G, Wi-Fi): landscaping and claim drafting should anticipate standards mapping and potential FRAND licensing. WIPO+1
AI & electrification are the decade’s growth engines: GenAI and battery technologies show the fastest patent growth—plan for rapid prior-art shifts and crowded landscapes. WIPO+1
Watch policy shifts: Unitary Patent simplifies Europe; the 2024 WIPO treaty on genetic resources adds disclosure obligations in some jurisdictions. EPO WIPO

Data notes & caveats

“Applications” vs “publications”: WIPO reports both PCT filings and PCT publications; totals for a given calendar year differ. (Example: 2024 filings ≈273.9k; 2024 publications dipped slightly.) WIPO
Office totals vs. origin totals: WIPO’s World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024 aggregate office-level data (what an office received) and origin-level data (where applicants reside); each answers a different question. WIPO
SEP rankings: depend on essentiality checks, family de-duplication, and treatment of continuations/divisionals—treat any single leaderboard as indicative, not definitive.

The Global Anatomy of Patents: Dominant Countries, Leading Companies, and Technology Trends Over the Last Decade”