Chinese and Japanese Law Firms Dominate Rankings for Most Published PCT Applications

Chinese and Japanese law firms continue to dominate the rankings for the most published PCT applications, with Chinese firms leading the way by accounting for over 60% of the filings. In a recent report by IP Pilot, it was revealed that China’s Scihead IP Group once again secured the top spot by filing 2,067 applications in 2023.

Despite a slight decrease in the number of applications filed compared to previous years, Scihead IP Group maintained its position as the top filer for the third consecutive year. The only US firm to make it into the top 10 in 2021, Fish & Richardson, fell to 22nd place in 2023, highlighting the dominance of Chinese and Japanese firms in the rankings.

German and UK firms were notably absent from the top 50 list, leaving only firms from China, Japan, the US, and Korea to fill the rankings. The data compiled by IP Pilot also revealed that Chinese firms accounted for the majority of the top 50 filers, with 27 Chinese firms making the list.

One of the standout performers in 2023 was Jiaquan IP Law Firm, which showed significant growth by increasing its application volumes year-on-year. The firm filed 1,161 applications last year, marking a substantial increase from the previous year and securing its place in the top 20.

Overall, a total of 47,600 PCT applications were first published in 2023, with Chinese firms leading the way with 28,714 applications. Japan, the US, and Korea followed behind, showcasing the continued dominance of Chinese and Japanese firms in the global patent filing landscape.