Legal developments

Evolution of Property Law in the Digital Context: EU Legal Doctrine and the Iranian Legal Approach

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

setare Ayoubi 1
Sam Mohammadi 2
Seyyed Hasan Hosseini Moghaddam 3

1 Ph.D. Student in private law, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

2 Professor, Private Law Department, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of Private Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

Abstract
One of the defining characteristics of the digital age is the accelerated pace of communication and the role of the Internet as the gravitational centre of global information. This connectivity, in addition to bringing individuals closer together, has enabled the interaction and overlap of various technologies, including social media algorithms and machine learning systems. These developments have led to fundamental transformations in the concept of property law. Digital property rights encompass access to and control over digital information, data, internet accounts, as well as contractual and intellectual property rights in the digital sphere. This study aims to examine the evolution of property law in the digital context within the European Union and to analyse its legal doctrine with a view to proposing solutions for the enhancement of digital property law in Iran. The research question is as follows: how have the policies and regulations
of the European Union and Iran concerning digital property evolved? The findings indicate that over the past two decades, EU policy on digital technologies has shifted from a liberal economic approach towards a legal doctrine grounded in digital currencies. This transformation arises from the emergence of the information society, which has created new opportunities and challenges for fundamental rights and democratic values. The adoption of the Regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) in September 2020 exemplifies the EU’s effort to regulate and manage digital assets through legal frameworks. In contrast, Iran still lacks a clear legal framework for crypto-assets, and such assets are traded on the market without legal oversight. An examination of the EU’s legal doctrine can serve as a model for improving the Iranian legal system with respect to digital property. Conducted through a descriptive-analytical method, this study, while examining EU legal doctrine, offers recommendations for its adaptation to Iranian law.

Keywords

European Union
Property Law
Asset
Ownership
Digital
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  • Receive Date 28 August 2025
  • Revise Date 23 October 2025
  • Accept Date 19 December 2025
  • First Publish Date 22 December 2025
  • Publish Date 22 December 2025

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