Shanghai has achieved remarkable success in its one-year pilot program for data product intellectual property (IP) registration. As of Dec 7, the city has processed 1,203 applications and issued 802 certificates, resulting in more than 19.5 billion yuan ($2.76 billion) in economic value through licensing and other transactions.
The pilot, which started in December 2023, has gained widespread attention. The Shanghai government, along with the IP and data bureaus, implemented the "Interim Measures for the Registration and Evidence Preservation of Intellectual Property Rights of Data Products in Shanghai" on Dec 8, 2024, significantly advancing the city's data-driven IP landscape.
The pilot program has already been recognized as a national model, earning praise from the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA). The city's work was highlighted in the 2025 Shanghai government work report and CNIPA's annual report.
More than 287 data products have been licensed, generating over 4.8 billion yuan in revenue, while 166 products accounted for a combined transaction value of 3.4 billion yuan. Moreover, 365 products generated over 11.3 billion yuan in service fees, and 14 companies received a total of 355 million yuan in IP pledge financing.
Shanghai's data IP registration scheme is notable for its broad range of applicants, including major tech firms such as ByteDance and Bilibili, as well as academic institutions. The pilot has made a strong impact, with 23 percent of applications coming from other provinces. The city has also registered foreign data products, including those from free trade zones.
