Reminder: Mt Gox owns the Bitcoin trademark

[Elwar]

The PASCAZI Retaliation, fighting opportunists worldwide and why we applied for the Bitcoin trademark.

TOKYO, JAPAN - October 14, 2011 - As the owner of the largest Bitcoin trading platform, Mt.Gox, we at Tibanne K.K feel obliged to step up and oppose opportunists around the world from trademarking the concept and term “Bitcoin”, which would severely limit the ability of those in the Bitcoin community to freely enjoy and use our beloved Crypto-currency.

As some in the community may be aware, back in July Michael Pascazi, a law attorney in upstate New York started to file for ownership of the Bitcoin trademark. This took place not only in the US but in other key countries like France and Japan where trademark laws favour the party who is “first-to-file”, rather than the first actual user of the term.

While Michael Pascazi apparently acquiesced in his attempt to trademark Bitcoin in the U.S. (thanks to a stricter “first-to-use” trademarking system), he has since submitted a claim in France through his wife Celine Mouchon Pascazi, where Pascazi has far stronger legal standing as the first entity to apply.

In reaction, we at Tibanne K.K in Japan have started legal proceedings in the hopes of opposing this filing in France, at a European level as well as in in other countries across the world.

The Pascazis' stated intention is to profit from these trademarks, which would hamper Bitcoin enthusiasts, businesses and the community as a whole on a global basis in the free use and promotion of Bitcoin. Tibanne K.K will oppose this and any other "greed based" trademark application, in order to prevent self-serving attempts to profit from Bitcoin through spurious legal suits, and keep the term “Bitcoin” free for all.

We would like to use this opportunity to formally announce that all trademarks related to the term “Bitcoin” filed for and obtained by Tibanne K.K will be made freely available to anyone to use for whatever purpose whatsoever, whether that be for non-profit or commercial endeavours.

We will keep you apprised on these matters as soon as updates become available.

Regards
Mt.Gox Co. Ltd Team.

https://www.mtgox.com/press_release_20111014.html

Trade Mark No.   Mark Text   File Date   Status   Nice Classes   Vienna Classes   Image   Picking List
E10103646    BITCOIN    07/07/2011    Registered    09 35 38 42        No image exists for Trade Mark E10103646.   
E10050466    bit coin    15/06/2011    Registered    09 38 41        Image for Trade Mark E10050466.   

One is a word mark, one has an (ugly) picture.

Both registered to Tribanne:

Applicant:
    Tibanne Co. Ltd.
    Cerulean Tower 15F 26-1 Sakuragaoka-Cho, Shibuya Tokyo, Japan, 150-8512
Representative:
    BAKER & MCKENZIE LLP
    100 New Bridge Street, London, United Kingdom, EC4V 6JA

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[Elwar]

If MtGox goes bankrupt...the Bitcoin trademark would be put up for sale to the highest bidder.

[Bit_Happy]

Not good:
Maybe we should be nice to them.

[minerdetail]

Bitcoin seems more and more dead 

Maybe it's time for another and more matured crypto currency to enter the stage.

I have no idea which one, but it appears that the Bitcoin is going to experience strong headwind in the future.

[freedomno1]

The protest feed just ended they are off to go get licensed

[bananas]

i may be wrong, but i don't think he can claim it even if already registered 'cause it was already a very well known brand. It is like registering the word internet in 1992.

[freedomno1]

i may be wrong, but i don't think he can claim it even if already registered 'cause it was already a very well known brand. It is like registering the word internet in 1992.

That license has value but as far as I'm concerned its a free license if they start charging for it then this issue will get complicated quickly, although I am pretty sure the word itself does fall into general usage and may not be considered trademark-able.

https://www.mtgox.com/press_release_20111014.html
We would like to use this opportunity to formally announce that all trademarks related to the term “Bitcoin” filed for and obtained by Tibanne K.K will be made freely available to anyone to use for whatever purpose whatsoever, whether that be for non-profit or commercial endeavours.

We will keep you apprised on these matters as soon as updates become available.

Regards
Mt.Gox Co. Ltd Team.

[eldentyrell]

If MtGox goes bankrupt...the Bitcoin trademark would be put up for sale to the highest bidder.

Not sure about the UK, but in the US if people infringe on your trademark and you don't even make an effort to sue them, you lose the trademark.  There also has to be a reasonable generic name for the product in question, and the trademark owner has to use it to describe their product.  This is why Kleenex says they are "facial tissues" and Xerox says they sell a "photocopier".

Mtgox hasn't sued anybody over use of the word "bitcoin", or even sent a threatening letter.  I've never seen a generic term for BTC on their website or in any of their press releases.

Whatever trademark rights they might have had at some point in the past are totally void in the US by now.

[hilariousandco]

The protest feed just ended they are off to go get licensed

I think I read they did it to stop some guy registering it in a country where this law doesn't apply. But I think they should donate it or make sure it's free to use without being tied to them if anything goes wrong.

[Bitcoinrealmthai]

What am I missing?   

I thought the Bitcoin logo was "released into the public domain by author" as stated at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bitcoin.png

I suppose that there may be different forms of the logo, but to me, the one referenced at Wikimedia Commons seems the most definitive.

@Bitcoinrealmth

[freedomno1]

Cool, they can sell it to pay back some of their debts.  Maybe this forum can use some of our $1M to buy it?

Whistles its not like we didn't already do that for the new forum why not
It will be the Priceless logo to commemorate it 

[MakeBelieve]

Counts as a asset so they will have to sell it off I doubt he'll be getting enough money to actually pay back it's users and I wouldn't want to help him and keep the bidding as low as possible.

[Sheldor333]

If they are no more someone else can take it. That doesn't matter.

[tinus42]

i may be wrong, but i don't think he can claim it even if already registered 'cause it was already a very well known brand. It is like registering the word internet in 1992.

Actually internet is trademarked since the 1980s:

http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=73801226&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch

[Bitcoinpro]

Under the Crytocurrency Consitution, Crypto trademarks cannot be claimed by any individual or entity.

[Lauda]

Not good:
Maybe we should be nice to them.

No, we definitely should not.

[Bitcoinpro]

Under the Crytocurrency Consitution, Crypto trademarks cannot be claimed by any individual or entity.

I know of the Cryptocurrency King, the cryptocurrency universe, and the cryptocurrency economy but I never heard of the Cryptocurrency Constitution?

I made it about a year ago, just search it, haven't taken the draft copy off, but no one suggested changes so its the final copy now

have got a few digital copy's plus a framed one on the wall like it came out of an old Spanish galleon

on top of this I'm planning the Cryptocurrency Banking act though that's going to be some piece of work and will take a few months yet

[LiteCoinGuy]

Bitcoin seems more and more dead 

Maybe it's time for another and more matured crypto currency to enter the stage.

I have no idea which one, but it appears that the Bitcoin is going to experience strong headwind in the future.

maxcoin 


 (just kidding, dont buy that shit)

[MICRO]

Bitcoin seems more and more dead 

Maybe it's time for another and more matured crypto currency to enter the stage.

I have no idea which one, but it appears that the Bitcoin is going to experience strong headwind in the future.

"World" is having issues accepting Bitcoin, how do u think they will accept one of 1654561657468 other alt coins ?
I don't think so. Bitcoin now only needs stabilized rate and will take over the "World"

[64dimensions]

As a practical problem, you can image their assets/free cash being tied up in litigation or in compensating customers.

If they are reducing their office footprint, I can't imagine them expending resources to defend a trademark a financial priority.

They would have to retain a US lawyer who would no doubt want their fee up front.