Intangible properties and protecting the right to intangible properties
Abstract
New types of tangible and intangible properties have been recognized in the 4th Industrial Revolution. Appearance of specific and new properties poses new requirements for their identification, transfer of ownership and protection. Due to special nature and attributes of these properties, it is difficult to establish, protect and transfer ownership in the ways applied to traditional intangible and tangible properties. One of the important features of intangible properties is the ability to establish, transfer and protect them in a virtual environment, the example of which is virtual money. In such environment (or virtual world), participants can create virtual properties for using, exchanging, and transferring. Virtual egistration and transfer of properties in the virtual world lead to penetration of virtual properties into real life, blending into real life. Exchange between virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin to the official currencies like USD is an example of this transformation and penetration. On the contrary, many traditional properties can also be registered and transferred in the virtual world. The article tries to identify new types of properties in the 4th Industrial Revolution The most common legal issues relating to the ownership of those properties that many countries are facing. On that basis, the article identifies and analyzes issues of ownership and protection of virtual properties under Vietnamese law for further research.
