In the business world, there is an unwritten rule: if a giant corporation with billion-dollar budgets attacks you, it is better to retreat quietly. However, a small company with a staff of only 50 people has proven that even the most powerful tech monsters do not hold a monopoly on the truth.

The British office of TikTok (owned by the Chinese giant ByteDance) has lost a two-year court battle over a trademark against the financial education platform TickTickTrader. Now, the social media giant has not only come away empty-handed but is also forced to cover the legal costs of the small business.

This story serves as a powerful precedent for entrepreneurs worldwide.

How It All Began

In April 2023, TickTickTrader, a company providing training for stock market trading, filed an application to register its brand. The company’s name carries a clear professional meaning: in the financial world, a “tick” refers to the minimum price movement on an exchange.

However, TikTok’s lawyers saw this as a threat. They issued an ultimatum to the small firm: abandon the name entirely within 14 days, shut down the brand, and sign a series of restrictive obligations. The corporation’s logic was simple: “TickTickTrader sounds too similar to TikTok; it confuses people and damages our reputation.”

Usually, startups surrender at this stage because litigating against giants is expensive and exhausting. But TickTickTrader decided to fight for what they had built from scratch.

Why “TickTick” Is Not “TikTok”

The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) scrutinized the case and delivered its verdict: TikTok does not have the right to claim ownership of every word in the world that sounds similar to its name.

The judge noted that there is no connection between the brands due to several factors:

• Different Meaning: TikTok is associated with the sound of a clock (tick-tock) and short-form videos. In contrast, TickTickTrader evokes the image of a trader who analytically follows market charts step-by-step.

• The Discerning Buyer: People purchasing trading courses do so deliberately and attentively. They are highly unlikely to mistake a serious financial platform for an entertainment video app.

• No “Family” Connection: The court rejected TikTok’s absurd claim that people would perceive TickTickTrader as part of the social network’s ecosystem (similar to TikTok Shop or TikTok Pay).

Ultimately, all of the corporation’s accusations were entirely dismissed. Since TikTok lost and the deadline for appeal has passed, the decision is final: the small business has officially defended its name.

“The Old Scheme No Longer Works”

This victory has been a breath of fresh air for the entire entrepreneurial community. The case was handled by the law firm Trade Mark Wizards, directed by the well-known British billionaire and star of The Apprentice, Lord Sugar.

He commented on the situation bluntly:

“Large companies think they can throw their weight around and small businesses will just tuck their tails between their legs because they don’t have the money for courts. It doesn’t work that way. You cannot own every similar word just because you are a big brand. If you are right—you are right. If not—you lose. It’s that simple.”

Oliver Oguz, head of the legal firm, added that the classic corporate tactic of “showering a small business with lawsuits and waiting until they run out of money” is officially obsolete. The law is the same for everyone, regardless of the number of zeros in your budget.

The Main Lesson for Entrepreneurs

This case proves: if your brand has a unique meaning, reflects the essence of your work, and you are confident in your position—do not fear the pressure of big players. Corporations rely on fear, but with clear arguments and professional support, justice sides with common sense, not billion-dollar bank accounts.

Founder of Research & Patent group Intectica, author of patent algorithms for solving problems in the pharmaceutical industry, patent attorney certified in all intellectual property objects (Patents, Design, TM), with education in chemistry and law, chief expert of the patent institution of Ukraine UKRPATENT (1997-2004). Member of international organizations, including ECTA, PTMG, UAM, lecturer and blogger.