The number of US trademarks filed for cryptocurrencies, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Web 3.0, and the metaverse this year has surpassed those filed in 2021, according to data compiled by well-known intellectual property lawyer Mike Kondoudis. The jump in numbers is particularly surprising because there are four more months to go before 2022 comes to a close.
The number of NFT applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is very high, with 5,800 being filed in 2022, according to Kondoudis’ estimate. Last year, the NFT-related filings were at 2,087. Metaverse or Web 3.0-related trademarks have also doubled from 1,866 in 2021, touching 4,150 as of August 2022. More than 3,600 trademark applications for cryptocurrencies and crypto-related services have been filed.
As the crypto industry continues to become more mainstream, with big brands, tech giants, and famous personalities entering the industry, trademark protection is becoming necessary and common.
The month of March, in particular, saw the largest number of filings across categories. There were 1,078 NFT-related filings, 604 filings connected to crypto, and 759 metaverse-linked filings. July and August reported the lowest number of applications. The surge in trademark filing in March can be attributed to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing the company’s NFT integration on Instagram in March.
Several luxury brands have already filed trademarks to protect their brand names in the metaverse. Meta, Formula One, McDonald’s, Gatorade, Mastercard, and the US Space Force are among those that did.
In addition, celebrities like Shaq, Jay-Z, and the late Kobe Bryant have all trademarked their names in the Web 3.0 space.
