(Yicai Global) Feb. 23 -- Chinese authorities have yet to approve any of the over 16,000 trademark applications related to the ‘metaverse,’ an alternate digital reality brimming with new money-making opportunities, as officials frown on ‘newsjacking,’ or the leveraging of a brand on the back of the latest trends.

Ninety percent of the applications are still in the ‘pending review’ status and 165 have been rejected, according to corporate data platform Tianyancha.

The government strongly opposes ‘newsjacking' and the hoarding of trademarks without any purpose, China National Intellectual Property Administration said on Feb. 21.

The metaverse is a new technology and it cannot be trademarked by individuals, otherwise it will be easily misunderstood, an official from China National Intellectual Property Administration said earlier.

Multiple subsidiaries under gaming giant Tencent Holdings have submitted a host of applications since September last year, according to Tianyancha. One by its music arm Tencent Music Entertainment Technology, for the phrase ‘rhythm metaverse,’ has already been rejected.

Car manufacturers BYD, Great Wall Motor, Geely Holding Group and herbal tea maker Wanglaoji are also in line. Shenzhen-based BYD said earlier that although the firm has no plans to do any business in the metaverse, it has applied for a trademark to protects its rights.

Editors: Liao Shumin, Kim Taylor