Bitcoin is a popular open source project with MIT license. It's a community brand but I don't know for sure if anyone could apply for Bitcoin as brand. Bitcoin.org acts as the reference site for Bitcoin but it's still a privately registered domain so is bitcoin.com

Just quick search on google and I found this

But the way it seems no other project or business can use that term "Bitcoin" because it looks like already a trademark for btc, even though not official, it will be very weird for another brand to use now, everyone is already aware of bitcoin and btc as its ticker,
I don't think it is appropriate for anyone to use it now, just my opinion.

None so far but there's an identity thief a.k.a Craig Wright that filed for a copyright for the original Bitcoin whitepaper and for the source codes. I won't be surprised if he does it for the Bitcoin word too.


Bitcoin doesn't need to be a company to be trademarked. Anyone can file for a trademark even if it's just a word. Ask how Pat Riley did it for the "Three-Peat".

I'd rather call Bitcoin public. It is owned by everyone. I think it should not be registered by a particular company or person as a trademark. 

Here is an interesting article I found online. https://news.bitcoin.com/a-london-based-company-successfully-trademarks-the-name-bitcoin/

There was actually a firm that trademarked Bitcoin in the UK. That was a selfish move that repulsed the Bitcoin community.

"UK-based firm called ‘A.B.C. IPHoldings South West’ has successfully acquired a trademark for the name ‘Bitcoin’."

“The Bitcoin Foundation believes that the term “Bitcoin” alone should not be the intellectual property of any individual or entity"

its an opensource so no one which is why anyone can fork BTC for whatever editions they can make, no one can stop them from doing so. so many domains today with the word "bitcoin" on it or BTC but no one nor the team can file a case against them since its their right and after all its opensource.

if CW will successfully prove he is satoshi which i doubt he can, he may actually file a trademark for BTC and all those who uses "bitcoin" in any brand they promote may face infringement. well it wont happen.

Bitcoin is not a brand. Though I guess if you wore the bitcoin logo on a shirt you could call it bitcoin branding so maybe I am wrong? It certainly is not a brand in the traditional sense of a franchise like cooperation.
Bitcoin is owned by no one and thus everyone... I know that doesn't make sense I did that on purpose and say that because we all own bitcoin, each one of us helps the network in some small way and even just holding bitcoin gives you a piece of the pie. Bitcoin is for the people and belongs to us all.

I don't think that for protwcting trademark is relwvant that Bitcoin is a currency. Anything could be protected with trademark just needs to be registered as such. Although that depends on legal system of the country where you want to do it.
However, I don't think that Satoshi or someone else has registered and protected Bitcoin trademark.

A currency is not a society that can be considered a brand. A currency is a currency. It is not even known for sure who invented it. It is believed to be a certain Satoshi Nakamoto.
Bitcoin is a "brand", if you will, owned by us investors. No one has mastered it so far, so it is ours, everyone's and it is the main reason why we love cryptocurrency.

Mark Karpeles trademarked "BITCOIN" in the E.U. and Japan for some kinds of equipment, as well as IT and telecom services in 2011: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/010103646

"BITCOIN" is trademarked in the U.K. for clothing and beverages: https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/1/UK00003279106

There was an attempt to trademark "BITCOIN" in the U.S. for bar glassware and utensils in 2013, but it was abandoned after being challenged: https://trademarks.justia.com/861/35/bitcoin-86135516.html