Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba will integrate blockchain technology into its intellectual property system of global enterprises and brands, local news outlet Sohu reported on May 23. Ali Xizhi, the company’s director of intellectual property protection, reportedly said that Alibaba is in the process of upgrading the filing of intellectual property rights by utilizing blockchain. Alibaba is planning to fully implement the technology in September, after which it will be expanded to digital copyright protection, including visual content. The system will purportedly allow electronic deposits from international brands to directly link to the Internet Court through the blockchain-based Ali Intellectual Property Protection Platform ("IPP Platform"), providing a basis for litigation rights protection. China has reportedly set up three Internet courts in Hangzhou, Beijing and Guangzhou to manage internet-related cases and allow plaintiffs to file their complaints online. In March, Alibaba and Aerospace Information Co., a major software developer and provider, agreed to take advantage of their respective brand technologies “to actively integrate resources and carry out in-depth cooperation” in the fields of cloud computing services, finance and taxation, government affairs and blockchain technology, among others. Also in March, vice president of Alibaba Group Liu Song revealed the company’s plans to implement blockchain technology for cross-border supply chains, with the possibility to link with local governments. Earlier this week, a report by Securities Daily News revealed that Alibaba had applied for 262 blockchain patents.
Alibaba will implement a blockchain system to improve the security of its intellectual property rights. The company aims to fully integrate the Ali Intellectual Property Protection Platform by September, after which it will expand the system to incorporate digital copyright protection. The technology will allow international brands to make electronic deposits which will link directly with China's Internet Court.