Verified as of 28 September 2026.
Buying digital art means keeping apart the work, the file, the copy, the carrier, the token and access. If what is being transferred is not defined, the buyer may keep a password or an address and still lose the ability to exhibit the work.
Pin down the object
Establish whether you are buying:
- a file and an authorised copy;
- one copy of an edition;
- a physical carrier;
- a token recorded on a blockchain;
- access to an account or service;
- an installation with hardware and software;
- a licence to use it.
A token records a unit and transactions within a contract. It does not on its own prove authorship, authenticity, uniqueness or any transfer of rights.
Master file and exhibition copy
Ask for the format, size, codec, resolution, checksum and delivery date. The checksum lets you verify that the bits have not changed from the reference copy kept; it does not on its own prove who created the file or what it depicts.
Distinguish the master file, the exhibition copy and the backups. Keep the document that links those files to the sale.
Edition
Record the edition size, copy number, proofs, versions and whether the artist or publisher can replace files. Ask whether other editions, formats or manifestations of the same work may exist.
Rights
Buying the carrier, the file or the token does not on its own transfer the exploitation rights. If a licence is granted, it should set out the permitted uses, term, territory, exclusivity, attribution, exhibition, technical reproduction, migrations and modifications.
Dependencies
Document operating systems, libraries, typefaces, accounts, servers, peripherals, keys and hardware. A work may depend on an external service that changes or shuts down. The contract should provide for maintenance, replacement and access to the essential elements.
Migration
Preservation may require changing the format, carrier or environment. Expressly authorise the technical copies that will be needed and define which migrations do not affect the integrity of the work. Not every technical change automatically amounts to a transformation in legal terms, but leaving it unregulated creates uncertainty.
Content credentials
If the file carries Content Credentials, keep the manifest and check that it can be verified. These credentials can bind claims to the file and reveal alterations, but they do not guarantee that everything stated is materially true.
Minimum handover
Keep:
- identification of the work and edition;
- files and checksums;
- metadata;
- licence;
- exhibition instructions;
- dependencies;
- copying and migration procedure;
- contract, invoice and certificate;
- technical contact;
- a plan in case the platform or provider disappears.
On the open conversation
Technical and contractual solutions depend on the work. This guide does not replace a digital preservation assessment or a contract tailored to the case.
If you spot an error, a broken link or a relevant change, write to me.