Comparison Guide
Three different tools that protect different things. Here is what each one covers, what it costs, how long it takes, and why serious creators use them together instead of choosing one.
By the IPWeb3 Legal Research team · Last updated June 5, 2026
The Short Answer
Proves WHEN. An immutable, dated, publicly verifiable record that your exact file existed at a specific moment. Instant, from $25.
Protects WHAT. The legal right over your creative expression. Automatic on creation in most countries; formal registration unlocks enforcement.
Protects the NAME. Exclusive commercial rights over brand identifiers like titles, logos, and character names, in the territories where you register.
Side by Side
Costs and timelines are approximate, based on published government fees as of June 2026, and vary by country.
| Dimension | On-Chain Registration | Copyright | Trademark |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it protects | Proof that a specific file existed at a specific date, bound to your identity | The expression of an original creative work (art, scripts, music, code) | Brand identifiers: names, logos, slogans used in commerce |
| How you get it | Register the file; the record is written on-chain in minutes | Automatic on creation in most countries; optional registration adds enforcement benefits | Application with a government IP office (USPTO, EUIPO, IP Australia) |
| Time to obtain | Minutes | Automatic immediately; US registration takes 2 to 8 months | Typically 8 to 18 months from application to registration |
| Typical cost | From $25 per work | Free automatically; US registration approximately $45 to $65 per work | Government fees from approximately $250 to $350 per class (US), or 850 EUR and up (EU), plus attorney fees |
| Geographic scope | The record is global and publicly verifiable anywhere | Near-global through the Berne Convention (181 countries) | Territorial: only in the countries or regions where registered |
| What it proves in a dispute | Tamper-evident evidence of existence and date, independently verifiable | Ownership of the work; registration enables lawsuits and statutory damages in the US | Exclusive right to use the mark for the registered goods and services |
| Expiration | The on-chain record is permanent | Life of the author plus 70 years in most jurisdictions | Renewable indefinitely, usually every 10 years, while in use |
| Best for | Fast, dated proof of creation for every version of every work | The legal right itself; register formally before enforcement | Protecting the name and logo your audience recognizes |
How They Work Together
It is the fastest and cheapest way to create dated, tamper-evident proof that your work existed before you shared it with clients, platforms, or potential partners. Studios use it on every character, episode, and asset version because copyright disputes are usually won or lost on evidence of who created what first.
Copyright already protects your original work automatically in most of the world. Formal registration (for example with the US Copyright Office) becomes important when you need to file a lawsuit or claim statutory damages. On-chain proof supports that case; it does not replace the right.
When a series name, studio name, or character brand starts generating licensing interest, a trademark stops others from trading on it. Trademarks are territorial and slower to obtain, so most studios file them selectively, for their most commercial properties, in their most important markets.
On-chain registration is evidence, not a government-granted right. It does not replace copyright, patent, or trademark registration. What it provides is immediate, tamper-evident, independently verifiable proof that your work existed at a specific date, which strengthens your position in disputes, negotiations, and enforcement built on those rights.
Government fees and processing times cited on this page are approximate and change over time. For complex IP situations, always consult a qualified IP attorney in your jurisdiction.
Common Questions
No. Copyright attaches automatically when an original work is created in most jurisdictions. On-chain registration complements it by creating independent, tamper-evident proof that a specific file existed on a specific date. In a dispute, that evidence supports your copyright claim; it does not substitute for the legal right.
Generally yes for proof of creation. On-chain registration starts at $25 per work and completes in minutes. US copyright registration costs approximately $45 to $65 and takes months. Trademark registration costs hundreds of dollars per class in government fees alone and usually takes more than a year. Each serves a different purpose, so the comparison is about fit, not just price.
Yes, and that is the strongest position. Copyright is the underlying legal right, a trademark protects your brand identifiers in commerce, and on-chain registration gives you immediate, dated, independently verifiable proof of creation for every version of every work. Studios commonly use all three for commercial properties.
In a growing number of jurisdictions, yes. Under Article 41 of the EU eIDAS Regulation, an electronic timestamp cannot be denied legal effect or admissibility as evidence solely because it is electronic. China's Hangzhou Internet Court accepted on-chain timestamp evidence in 2018. See our legal recognition guide for the full landscape.
On-chain registration first, because it is instant and the date matters: it proves your work existed before anyone else saw it. Copyright already protects you automatically. Then file formal copyright or trademark registrations based on the commercial importance of the work and the markets you operate in.
Copyright protects you automatically. What you are missing is dated, independently verifiable proof of creation. Get it in minutes, from $25 per registration, no crypto knowledge needed.