IP filing activity has grown during the global pandemic, even during the 2020 drop in worldwide economic growth.
The strong uptake of international trademarks during 2021 shows how companies seized opportunities for introducing new goods and services as consumer demands shifted and the digitalization of economies accelerated amid the pandemic.
The accelerating growth in cybersquatting cases filed with the WIPO Center can be largely attributed to trademark owners reinforcing their online presence to offer authentic content and trusted sales outlets, with a greater number of people spending more time online, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The WIPO Center continued its strong engagement with country code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs), such as .CN (China) and .EU (European Union). With the addition of .BH and البحرين. (Bahrain) and .SA and السعودية. (Saudi Arabia) in 2021, as well as .SN (Senegal) from January 1, 2022.