The Isle of Man has announced a new initiative that it says will enable data to be treated as a capital asset for the first time.
It is working with EDM Council, a global association specialising in data and analytics management, on the rollout of the Isle of Man’s Data Asset Foundation (DAF), which will enable businesses to drive value from its data, list it on balance sheets, use it as collateral and integrate it into M&A strategies.
DAFs will leverage the existing legislation of the Isle of Man Foundation Act and is specifically designed to treat data as a capital asset. Digital Isle of Man – which is behind the initiative – said strong governance, regulatory oversight, and transparency allows organisations to securely pool data, manage how it’s used, and unlock value across sectors – all within a trusted legal framework.
“Our partnership with EDM Council marks a bold step forward in creating an entirely new market. We’re not adapting to a global standard – we’re defining it,” said Digital Isle of Man chief executive Lyle Wraxall. “By establishing the legal and operational foundations for data as an asset class, the Isle of Man is building a trusted environment for innovation, investment and leadership in the data economy.
“This isn’t just about protecting data, but about reshaping how the world sees and uses it. The Isle of Man is not stepping into an existing market – we are creating a new one. Through this initiative, we are defining what trustworthy, transparent and economically valuable data stewardship looks like. This is a world-first, and we’re proud to lead it from the Isle of Man.”
Through the partnership with EDM Council, the Isle of Man said it gains access to “international expertise, networks and tools” that support its ambition to lead in trusted data use.
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“Managing data as an asset and defining its financial value are key to driving better business outcomes in our data-driven world,” said president of EDM Council, John Bottega. “EDM Council’s collaboration with the Isle of Man will help pioneer a trusted, transparent data economy. This partnership sets a new precedent in how data can be responsibly governed and commercially leveraged.”
“This initiative is a key growth area of the Isle of Man’s digital economy and directly supports the Island’s long-term economic strategy. It opens up new opportunities for inward investment, financial services innovation, and international collaboration to strengthen the island’s position as a forward-looking, digitally enabled economy,” Digital Isle of Man said in a statement.
The initiative will support use cases such as anonymised healthcare research, industrial data sharing for smarter manufacturing, and sustainability initiatives aligned with the Island’s UNESCO Biosphere status. Each foundation embeds a legal charter, data governance framework and enforceable standards.
As the initiative enters its next phase, Digital Isle of Man will finalise the legal framework ahead of progressing to the Island’s parliament, then begin onboarding pilot foundations and collaborating with key sectors including finance, tech and public services.
Digital Isle of Man also said international partners are invited to collaborate as the initiative scales, and legal, fiduciary, technology and compliance professionals “will all have a vital role to play in bringing the vision to life.”
