Deciphering Class 36 of Nice Classification for trademarks: 

Trademark Class 36 is one of 45 NICE Classifications used to identify and classify products and/or services.

Class 36 for trademarks a brief description: 

Class 36 of NICE Classification of goods and services for classifying trademarks includes mainly services relating to banking, financial transactions, financial valuation services, insurance services, and real estate activities. 

Class 36 for trademarks header: 

The Nice Class Headings describe in very broad terms the nature of the goods or services contained in each class. The Class 36 class header includes financial, monetary, banking, insurance, and real estate services.

Famous brands protected on class 36: 

• Mastercard International Incorporated

• Visa International 

• Citigroup Inc. 

• Deutsche Telekom AG

• Bank Of America 

• American Express 

• Intesa San Paolo SPA 

• Royal Bank of Canada 

Trademark Class 36 particularly includes:

• Financial transactions and payment services, for example, services relating to foreign currency exchange, electronic fund transfer, credit card processing, debit card payments, and issuance of travelers’ cheques;

• Financial appraisals for - jewelry, art, real estate, and repair costs. 

• Verification services, including check verifications. 

Trademark classes commonly confused with Class 36: 

Trademark Class 36 Versus Trademark Class 35

Class 35 includes, in particular, administration services relating to business transactions and financial records, for example, book-keeping, drawing up of statements of accounts, business and financial auditing, business appraisals, tax preparation, and filing services whereas Class 36 includes all financial and monetary services. This may confuse the brand owner about whether to register his trademark under Class 35 or Class 36.

Trademark Class 36 Versus Trademark Class 41

While gambling and lottery services are related to financial services, these services are specifically excluded from trademark Class 36 and fall under Class 41. 

Trademark Class 36 Versus Trademark Class 9

Class 36 includes all insurance services and affairs. Meanwhile, Class 9 includes, in particular, safety and security apparatus and instruments. This might lead to making the brand owner perplexed since the two classes’ purpose is to provide safety.

Trademark Class 36 Versus Trademark Class 43

Class 36 includes, in particular, real estate services and affairs whereas Class 43 includes all services related rental of meeting rooms, tents, and transportable buildings. This might create a likelihood of confusion in the mind of the brand owner.

Coordinated classes with trademark class 36: 

• Class 35 includes mainly services involving business management, operation, organization, and administration of a commercial or industrial enterprise, as well as advertising, marketing, and promotional services. 

• Class 9 includes safety and security apparatus and instruments, for example, safety nets, signaling lights, traffic-light apparatus, fire engines, sound alarms, and security tokens being encryption devices;

• Class 41 includes mainly services consisting of all forms of education or training, services having the main aim of the entertainment, amusement, or recreation of people, as well as the presentation of works of visual art or literature to the public for cultural or educational purposes.

• Class 43 includes mainly services provided concerning the preparation of food and drink for consumption, as well as services for providing temporary accommodation.

The classes mentioned above are considered coordinated classes, which means that trademarks usually protected on class 36 are often protected on these classes as well. It is important to note that you should use your trademark in each registered class otherwise you risk losing trademark protection.

Changes in the nice classification relating to trademark goods on Class 36

No changes were applied to the Class 36 recently. 

Trademark Class 36 and the Metaverse:

The physical and digital worlds overlap in the metaverse. In other words, the metaverse provides virtual experiences which allow users to access brands via the internet through augmented and virtual reality. As the metaverse is a virtual space where users interact, play, shop, explore and collaborate. Cryptocurrency is used on the metaverse for exchanging value. Within this digital economy, value is stored in different utility tokens and virtual collectibles such as (NFTs). As trademark Class 36 covers financial services and the transfer of value from one party to another, this classification is essential for work on the metaverse. Whether or not banks will join the metaverse is a larger question but it's without question that customers are active and making purchases on the metaverse whether while playing games or watching fashion shows. 

Understanding the main elements of Class 36: 

Class 36 in Nice Classification is divided into the subsections below:

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 1

• Insurance services

• Insurance underwriting and

• Appraisals and assessments for insurance purposes

• Warranty services

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 2

• Real Estate Services

• Rent collection

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 3

Pawn Brokerage

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 4

Provision of prepaid cards and tokens

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 5

Safe deposit services

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 6 

• Financial, monetary, and banking services

• Currency trading and exchange services

• Securities and commodities trading services

• Loan, credit, and lease-finance services

• Debt recovery and Factoring services

• Investment services

• Fund investment services

• Financial underwriting and securities issuance (investment banking)

• Financial transfers and transactions and payment services

• Cash, check (CHEQUE), and money order services

• Card services

• Tax and duty payment services

• Financial information, Data, Advice, and consultancy services

• Financial rating and provision of credit reports

• Financial Appraisal services

• Financial Planning services

• Pension planning services

• Financing and pending services

• Venture Capital services

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 7

Fundraising and financial sponsorship

Trademark Class 36 - Subsection 8

Valuation services