Clear the Name Before It Clears a Payment
Payment, lending, crypto, and banking-app brands compete in a crowded field and face restricted words and impersonation. We clear and register FinTech brands, check name restrictions, and act against app-store and domain impersonation.
What FinTech brands run into
Miami's FinTech and crypto community, and its role in payments between the U.S. and Latin America, make FinTech a growing local practice.
Crowded naming
'Pay,' 'coin,' 'cash,' and 'fi' appear in thousands of marks.
Federal Trademark Applications →Problem 2Restricted words
Words such as 'bank' are restricted in business and brand names.
Federal Trademark Applications →Problem 3App-store and domain impersonation
Fake apps and domains copy FinTech brands to steal credentials and funds.
Domain Name Disputes (UDRP) →Problem 4Unfair competition
Competitors and fraudsters that imply affiliation create liability and customer harm.
Florida Unfair Competition →What we recommend for FinTech brands
Our five most important steps for protecting a brand in this industry, in the order most clients need them.
Clear early and broadly
Search in Classes 9, 36, and 42 before choosing a name, since FinTech names are crowded across all three.
Avoid restricted words
Do not use 'bank' or similar words without the required charter or approval.
Register the app and the service
File for the financial service, the downloadable app, and the platform.
Monitor app stores and domains
Watch for impersonating apps and domains, and use platform complaints and UDRP quickly.
Protect the brand in launch markets
Register in each country where you will offer services, especially in Latin America.
FinTech brand filings at the USPTO, 2021 to 2026
Applicants filed 16,005 U.S. trademark applications in this category from 2021 to 2025, and filings in 2025 were down 8% from 2021. 11,683 live registrations cover it today.
Applications filed per year
U.S. applications by filing date. The 2026 bar covers January to late October.
View data table
| Year | Applications filed | Registered to date | Abandoned | Registrations issued that year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,588 | 1,634 | 1,769 | 1,069 |
| 2022 | 4,212 | 1,674 | 2,037 | 1,073 |
| 2023 | 2,526 | 1,183 | 899 | 1,340 |
| 2024 | 2,367 | 929 | 775 | 1,625 |
| 2025 | 3,312 | 726 | 725 | 1,544 |
| 2026 (Jan.–Oct.) | 2,557 | 92 | 60 | 1,499 |
Applications filed and registrations issued
Applications by filing year, and registrations by the year they issued.
What happened to each year's applications
Status today of applications filed each year. Recent years are still largely pending.
How we counted. USPTO trademark records, retrieved October 28, 2026. The USPTO does not classify filings by industry, so this page counts: Applications in Class 36 whose services mention payment processing, electronic funds transfer, mobile payments, peer-to-peer payments, cryptocurrency, or digital currency. An application is counted once even if it names several qualifying classes.
Top five trademark registrants: FinTech Brands
The owners that received the most U.S. registrations in this category since January 2021.
U.S. registrations issued since January 2021, by owner
Registrations issued January 2021 to October 2026 in the category described in the data section, by current owner.
View data table
| Rank | Owner | Registrations since 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | 26 |
| 2 | PayPal, Inc. | 26 |
| 3 | F.N.B. Corporation | 25 |
| 4 | Mastercard International Incorporated | 23 |
| 5 | Flagstar Bank, N.A. | 19 |
Counts every registration in the category by its current owner, excluding broad filings that name more than six classes. Listed for information only. These companies are not clients of the firm, and their inclusion implies no affiliation.
What the law says
- Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 709) and Florida law restrict use of words such as 'bank,' 'banking,' and 'trust' by businesses that are not chartered institutions. Check these rules during clearance.
- Financial services are in Class 36; downloadable apps in Class 9; and software as a service in Class 42.
- App stores and registrars act on trademark complaints, and UDRP complaints transfer bad-faith domains.
Start here: a checklist for a new brand
Your checks are not saved.
Who does what for your brand
A licensed attorney is responsible for each matter, supported by paralegals and docketing staff who manage documents, deadlines, and monitoring.
Attorneys
Strategy, filings, and enforcement.
- Clearance searches and written risk opinions
- Applications drafted for FinTech goods and services
- Responses to USPTO refusals and oppositions
- Demand letters, licenses, and litigation
Paralegals and docketing
Files complete and deadlines met.
- Specimens, dates of use, and evidence
- Docketing of every USPTO and renewal deadline
- U.S. Customs recordation and Amazon Brand Registry
- Watch notices for new conflicting filings
Client service
Clear, bilingual, and easy to reach.
- Service in English and Spanish
- Copies of every USPTO notice, explained
- A written estimate before each filing
- Renewal reminders well in advance
Frequently asked questions
Can I use 'bank' in my FinTech brand?
Generally not unless you are a chartered bank or have approval. Federal and Florida law restrict the word.
What classes should a FinTech app file in?
Class 36 for financial services, Class 9 for the downloadable app, and Class 42 for software as a service.
How do I remove a fake app?
File a trademark complaint with the app store. A registration speeds the process.
Can I register a crypto brand?
Yes, for lawful goods and services. Identify them carefully.
How do I stop phishing domains using my brand?
Report them to registrars and hosts, and file UDRP complaints to transfer them.
Should I register before raising money?
Yes. Investors look for registered or pending marks in diligence.
Talk to us about your FinTech brand
Tell us your brand, what you sell, and where. We will check the register, recommend the right filings, and give you a written estimate.
- Clearance searches
- Federal and Florida filings
- Enforcement and litigation
- Customs and marketplace protection