GITNUXREPORT 2025

Intellectual Property Theft Statistics

IP theft costs trillions, threatens innovation, and proliferates online globally.

Jannik Lindner

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Key Statistics

Statistic 1

About 50% of consumers worldwide have knowingly purchased counterfeit products

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65% of consumers are concerned about the authenticity of products purchased online

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IP theft leads to an average loss of 5% of annual revenue for affected companies

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In 2022, the global economic loss due to IP theft was estimated at $1.8 trillion

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Approximately 80% of business leaders believe IP theft is a significant threat to their company

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The cost of counterfeit pharmaceuticals globally is estimated at $200 billion annually

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The percentage of counterfeit software detected in the global market increased by 20% between 2019 and 2022

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The global market for counterfeit electronics was valued at $119 billion in 2022

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Approximately 60% of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have experienced IP theft at some point

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The average cost of IP theft per business in the US is estimated at $500,000 annually

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Counterfeit goods make up roughly 3.3% of world trade, amounting to over $500 billion annually

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China is estimated to be responsible for 60% of the world’s counterfeit goods

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The illegal trade in intellectual property costs the US over $600 million annually in lost revenue

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The global counterfeit cosmetics market was valued at $68 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow

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Approximately 28% of all online shopping transactions involve counterfeit or pirated goods

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37% of counterfeit goods are sold via online marketplaces globally

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The global export value of fake footwear reached $20 billion in 2022

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Counterfeiting severely impacts innovation, with 80% of R&D companies reporting significant IP theft challenges

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Electronic goods, apparel, and pharmaceuticals are among the most commonly counterfeited products

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45% of companies report cyberattacks that specifically target intellectual property

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The most targeted industries for IP theft include technology, pharmaceuticals, and fashion

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The Asia-Pacific region accounted for 70% of counterfeit goods seized globally in 2021

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The number of IP infringement cases filed in US courts increased by 15% from 2018 to 2022

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In 2020, the FBI seized over 6 million counterfeit items in the US, with a street value of more than $1.3 billion

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IP theft cases involving digital piracy accounted for 65% of all IP infringements worldwide in 2022

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The EU has increased its counterfeit seizure efforts by 25% from 2020 to 2022

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The United States filed over 2,300 IP infringement cases in 2022, a 10% increase from the previous year

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Key Highlights

  • In 2022, the global economic loss due to IP theft was estimated at $1.8 trillion
  • Approximately 80% of business leaders believe IP theft is a significant threat to their company
  • The Asia-Pacific region accounted for 70% of counterfeit goods seized globally in 2021
  • The number of IP infringement cases filed in US courts increased by 15% from 2018 to 2022
  • About 50% of consumers worldwide have knowingly purchased counterfeit products
  • The cost of counterfeit pharmaceuticals globally is estimated at $200 billion annually
  • Electronic goods, apparel, and pharmaceuticals are among the most commonly counterfeited products
  • In 2020, the FBI seized over 6 million counterfeit items in the US, with a street value of more than $1.3 billion
  • The percentage of counterfeit software detected in the global market increased by 20% between 2019 and 2022
  • The global market for counterfeit electronics was valued at $119 billion in 2022
  • Approximately 60% of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have experienced IP theft at some point
  • The average cost of IP theft per business in the US is estimated at $500,000 annually
  • Counterfeit goods make up roughly 3.3% of world trade, amounting to over $500 billion annually

With an estimated $1.8 trillion lost globally in 2022 alone, intellectual property theft continues to threaten innovation, undermine businesses, and flood markets with counterfeit goods—making it a crisis we can no longer ignore.

Consumer Awareness and Behavior

  • About 50% of consumers worldwide have knowingly purchased counterfeit products
  • 65% of consumers are concerned about the authenticity of products purchased online

Consumer Awareness and Behavior Interpretation

With half of global consumers knowingly embracing counterfeits and over sixty-five percent wary of online authenticity, it's clear that the battle between genuine and fake is not just about products, but about trust in the digital age.

Economic Impact

  • IP theft leads to an average loss of 5% of annual revenue for affected companies

Economic Impact Interpretation

IP theft siphons away an average of 5% of companies' annual revenue, serving as a stark reminder that protecting innovation isn't just smart—it's essential for financial survival.

Economic Impact and Market Size

  • In 2022, the global economic loss due to IP theft was estimated at $1.8 trillion
  • Approximately 80% of business leaders believe IP theft is a significant threat to their company
  • The cost of counterfeit pharmaceuticals globally is estimated at $200 billion annually
  • The percentage of counterfeit software detected in the global market increased by 20% between 2019 and 2022
  • The global market for counterfeit electronics was valued at $119 billion in 2022
  • Approximately 60% of small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have experienced IP theft at some point
  • The average cost of IP theft per business in the US is estimated at $500,000 annually
  • Counterfeit goods make up roughly 3.3% of world trade, amounting to over $500 billion annually
  • China is estimated to be responsible for 60% of the world’s counterfeit goods
  • The illegal trade in intellectual property costs the US over $600 million annually in lost revenue
  • The global counterfeit cosmetics market was valued at $68 billion in 2021 and is projected to grow
  • Approximately 28% of all online shopping transactions involve counterfeit or pirated goods
  • 37% of counterfeit goods are sold via online marketplaces globally
  • The global export value of fake footwear reached $20 billion in 2022
  • Counterfeiting severely impacts innovation, with 80% of R&D companies reporting significant IP theft challenges

Economic Impact and Market Size Interpretation

With $1.8 trillion lost worldwide to IP theft in 2022—equivalent to wiping out the combined GDP of many small countries—it's clear that counterfeiters, led predominantly by China, are not just pirating products but also stifling innovation, threatening businesses, and clogging online marketplaces, all while fueling a shadow economy that undermines global development and consumer safety.

Industry and Product Targeting

  • Electronic goods, apparel, and pharmaceuticals are among the most commonly counterfeited products
  • 45% of companies report cyberattacks that specifically target intellectual property
  • The most targeted industries for IP theft include technology, pharmaceuticals, and fashion

Industry and Product Targeting Interpretation

These staggering statistics reveal that in the high-stakes game of innovation and branding, nearly half of companies face cyberattacks targeting their intellectual property, with technology, pharmaceuticals, and fashion bearing the brunt of counterfeit assaults—proof that in the world of IP, protection is truly priceless.

Legal Cases and Enforcement

  • The Asia-Pacific region accounted for 70% of counterfeit goods seized globally in 2021
  • The number of IP infringement cases filed in US courts increased by 15% from 2018 to 2022
  • In 2020, the FBI seized over 6 million counterfeit items in the US, with a street value of more than $1.3 billion
  • IP theft cases involving digital piracy accounted for 65% of all IP infringements worldwide in 2022
  • The EU has increased its counterfeit seizure efforts by 25% from 2020 to 2022
  • The United States filed over 2,300 IP infringement cases in 2022, a 10% increase from the previous year

Legal Cases and Enforcement Interpretation

As intellectual property thieves escalate their global reach—from Asia-Pacific’s 70% of seized counterfeit goods to digital piracy constituting 65% of violations worldwide—lawmakers and law enforcement must accelerate their efforts, or risk letting the billion-dollar counterfeit industry pirouette further into our economies and innovations.