Star Trek trademarks for NFTs: The final frontier

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has accepted CBS Studios’ application for the Star Trek name to be used in nonfungible tokens (NFTs) and crypto collectibles connected to its Continuum series.

According to USPTO records, the government office registered the character mark for the Star Trek line on Aug. 8, having received an application from CBS in April. The trademark included use in an online marketplace for digital crypto collectibles as well as video clips authenticated by NFTs.

Star Trek Continuum, though likely an enticing name for a television series for many Trekkies, refers to a line of NFTs featuring different starships from the various adventures in the science fiction universe, customized to users’ liking. The trademark focuses on the name “Star Trek Continuum”.

— Mike Kondoudis (@KondoudisLaw) August 9, 2023

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Navigating the intricacies of U.S. trademark and patent laws could become a challenge for non-crypto and blockchain companies entering the space. Firms filed more than 6,000 trademark applications for NFTs in 2022 compared with roughly 2,000 in 2021.

The universe of Star Trek, whose stories range from the 22nd century to the 25th century, continues to be a source of inspiration for many fans, which include crypto users. William Shatner, who portrayed Captain James T. Kirk on the original series in the 1960s, is now 92 years old but spoke at the 2023 Consensus conference and is scheduled to do so again in 2024.

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