China ranks second in metaverse-related global patent applications with a nearly 30% share gathered through its 14,291 applications, according to a report by the KIPO. The United States tops with 17,293 applications, accounting for nearly 36% of the total from 2011 to 2020. South Korea is third with 7,808 applications, or 16% of the total. According to the KIPO, approximately 43,700 patents related to the metaverse and immersive content were filed from 2016 to 2020 in the US, Europe, South Korea, Japan and China, which grew nearly threefold over those filed in the previous five years.