Insights

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has renamed its prepaid fee account, the Current Account at WIPO, as WIPO Wallet. The WIPO FAQ states that WIPO Wallet is the new name for the deposit account held with WIPO previously known as the Current Account at WIPO; it is managed in Swiss francs, intended for customers who pay WIPO regularly, and free of charge. The rename comes with a much lower entry threshold. The new terms of use require an initial deposit of at least 200 Swiss francs to open a WIPO Wallet, whereas the terms of the Current Account required at least 2,000 Swiss francs; a minimum balance of at least 200 Swiss francs must still be maintained at all times, as before. WIPO also states that companies or individuals with at least 4 transactions with WIPO per calendar year can open a WIPO Wallet.

Many foreign brand owners discover that their mark has already been filed in China by someone else: a distributor, a former manufacturer or a professional squatter. China is a first-to-file country, so this is common, but it is not the end of the matter. The PRC Trademark Law gives several routes to take a squatted mark back, and the right one depends on how far the squatter's application has gone and what evidence you hold. This guide explains the options.

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) have announced an expanded partnership, pledging to bring intellectual property awareness and support to at least 500,000 Filipino entrepreneurs, and stating that they will explore ways to strengthen intellectual property protection in e-commerce, including potential collaboration with online platforms to help merchants better protect their brands online. According to IPOPHL's release, the initiative forms part of a new co-operation framework that will draw on existing and potential partnerships with business associations, chambers of commerce, professional networks and other local institutions to bring practical assistance closer to Filipino micro, small and medium enterprises, helping them to protect their brands, manage their intangible assets and pursue international markets.

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has put online, in the section of the Trademarks Opposition Board (TMOB), a dedicated web page listing the proceedings in which requests for confidentiality orders or costs awards have been filed since 1 April 2025, together with any resulting rulings. The page bears a modification date of 1 October 2026 and states that it is updated quarterly. The background is the set of amendments to the Trademarks Act and Regulations that took effect in April 2025: since then the Registrar of Trademarks has had the authority to rule on requests for confidentiality orders and costs awards in opposition proceedings and section 45 expungement proceedings before the TMOB.

Every foreign brand that sells in China ends up with a Chinese name. Either the brand owner chooses one, or consumers, the press and distributors invent one. If the owner has not chosen and registered a Chinese name in advance, someone else may register it first, and getting it back can take years of litigation. This guide explains the ways to create a Chinese brand name, what to check before choosing one, and how to register it so that squatters cannot take it.

Brand owners license their marks in China to distributors, franchisees, manufacturers and group companies all the time. Many sign the licence and stop there, without recording it with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The contract still binds the two parties, but an unrecorded licence leaves both sides exposed once a third party is involved. This guide explains what recordal does, what it requires and how to structure a licence for China.