digital asset
Digital representation of value or rights managed under the Law.
How the laws define this
Regulatory frameworks consistently treat digital assets as items or resources existing in digital form that carry value, rights, or content subject to official management and governance. However, the instruments diverge significantly regarding who holds the asset and what specific items are covered. The Proyecto de Ley Federal de Gobernanza Digital / Sistema Nacional de Gobernanza Digital (Federal Law on Digital Governance / National Digital Governance System) narrows the concept to public-sector resources held or managed by federal dependencies and entities, listing operational infrastructure like websites, mobile applications, databases, software, and cloud services. In contrast, the Law on Digital Technology Industry targets digital representations of value or rights subject to formal classification and registration requirements. Taking a broader societal view, the Charter on the Values and Principles for a Digital Society of Mutual Prosperity (Digital Bill of Rights) encompasses data, digital works, property rights, and value-bearing items—explicitly extending to AI-generated content and calling for sectoral rules to operationalise protections.
Synthesised from the 3 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.
How jurisdictions differ
What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first.
| Jurisdiction | Instrument | Status | What is distinctive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnam | Law on Digital Technology Industry | In Force | Adds requirements for classification, registration, and management under the Law, specifically targeting digital technology sectors like AI and semiconductors. |
| South Korea | Charter on the Values and Principles for a Digital Society of Mutual Prosperity | Adopted | Broadens to include data, digital works, content, and property rights, emphasizing AI-generated content protections via future sectoral rules in a non-binding policy. |
| Mexico | Federal Law on Digital Governance / National Digital Governance System | Proposed | Limits to digital resources held by federal authorities, such as websites, apps, databases, images, videos, software, and cloud services. |
What it triggers
- Under Vietnam's Law on Digital Technology Industry, digital assets are subject to classification, registration, and management requirements.source
- The Charter on the Values and Principles for a Digital Society of Mutual Prosperity signals protection and governance measures for digital assets, including AI-generated content.source
- Under the proposed Federal Law on Digital Governance in Mexico, digital assets held by federal authorities would be managed, protected, and used through the National Digital Governance System.source
Definitions (3)
A digital representation of value or rights that is subject to classification, registration and management requirements under this Law and its subordinate instruments.
Any resource that exists or is generated in digital form and is held by a responsible authority; this includes websites, mobile applications, databases, images, video, software, cloud services and other digital resources managed by federal dependencies and entities.
A broad category covering data, digital works and content, digital property rights, and other value-bearing digital items; the Charter signals protection and governance measures for such assets, including issues raised by AI-generated content and the need for subsequent sectoral rules to operationalise protections.
Not to be confused with
Digital personal data is specifically personal data about an identifiable individual, while digital assets cover broader value or rights representations.
Distributed ledger technology refers to the underlying shared ledger systems like blockchain, not the digital assets they may record or represent.
An electronic document is any content in electronic form used as a document, narrower than the varied value-bearing or resource-based digital assets.
Questions and answers
What compliance steps are required for digital assets in Vietnam?
Digital assets must undergo classification, registration, and management as per the Law on Digital Technology Industry. This applies to entities in AI, semiconductor, and digital technology sectors.
Does South Korea's Digital Bill of Rights impose legal duties on digital assets?
No, as a non-binding policy, it sets out principles for protection and governance of digital assets like data and AI-generated content, calling for future sectoral rules.
What types of digital assets are covered in Mexico's proposed law?
It covers resources like websites, apps, databases, images, videos, software, and cloud services held by federal authorities. The bill aims to coordinate their management and protection.
Related Terms
Digital Asset (activo digital)
Any resource in digital form held by a responsible authority....
Digital assets
Data, content, and property existing in digital form....
Digital Personal Data
Personal data about an identifiable individual in digital form....
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) / Blockchain
Shared synchronized ledgers using consensus mechanisms....
electronic document
Any content in electronic form used as a document....