In a groundbreaking leap for digital culture and creative economies, sound is no longer just something we hear — it’s becoming something we can own, trade, and monetize. The International Sound Asset Trading Platform, launched by the National Cultural Big Data Exchange, marks the world’s first marketplace dedicated to sound assets, transforming everything from ancient melodies to ambient noise into valuable digital property.
This innovation opens a new frontier in the cultural digital economy, where intangible auditory heritage — once thought impossible to quantify — can now be registered, evaluated, and traded like any financial asset.
What Is a Sound Asset?
A sound asset refers to any recorded or conceptualized audio that holds cultural, historical, or artistic value. These assets are categorized into three core types:
- Living (Oral Tradition): Sounds passed down through generations — folk songs, traditional chants, spoken dialects.
- Static: Non-auditory representations of sound — musical scores, ancient inscriptions, architectural acoustics of historical stages or instruments.
- Dynamic: Digital recordings — audio files, video clips, or AI-generated reconstructions of lost sounds.
Once registered on the platform, these sounds undergo authentication, valuation, and tokenization, turning them into tradable digital assets secured via blockchain technology.
👉 Discover how digital sound assets are reshaping cultural ownership and investment.
How Does Sound Asset Trading Work?
The process begins with registration and rights confirmation. Creators or custodians of sound assets must verify ownership using intellectual property frameworks such as copyright and trademark law.
“You claim the asset as yours,” explains Dr. Hai-bo Sang, Senior Advisor at the National Cultural Big Data Exchange and professor at the China Conservatory of Music. “During registration, you take responsibility for its authenticity. Blockchain ensures decentralization and transparency. Under international protection standards, infringement penalties can reach up to 1,000 times the asset value.”
Valuation: Turning Sound Into Value
Pricing an abstract sound isn’t guesswork — it follows a structured evaluation model based on two key principles:
- Value Origin: Historical significance — when was the sound created? Is it linked to a dynasty, cultural movement, or UNESCO-recognized heritage?
- Price Origin: Market benchmarks — what have similar assets sold for? Analogous media (books, tapes) are analyzed using global algorithms, supplemented by expert appraisals.
For example, a minute-long recording of a rare Kunqu Opera performance from the Qing Dynasty carries far more weight than a modern field recording — both historically and financially.
National Strategy: Building China’s Sound Infrastructure
China has already initiated the National Soundscape Port Demonstration Project, a strategic effort to digitize and commercialize national auditory heritage. Ten pilot sites have been established across the country, including:
- Beijing Fish-Go Soundscape Port
- Xi’an Yishe Society Soundscape Port
These hubs serve as centers for collecting, preserving, and activating sound resources in public services, tourism experiences, and global cultural outreach.
This isn’t just about preservation — it’s about innovation through integration. Imagine walking through a museum where AI plays region-specific folk tunes based on your location, or visiting a historical site where reconstructed ancient court music fills the air — all powered by verified sound assets.
Will Individuals Be Able to Sell Their Own Sounds?
Yes — and soon.
Currently, the platform focuses on state-owned cultural assets, including:
- Archival recordings from the National Library and National Museum
- Intangible cultural heritage like Kunqu Opera, Qin Opera, and ethnic minority chants
- Historical audio artifacts preserved in cultural institutions
But starting next year, the marketplace will open to enterprises and individuals.
“Your personal creation — a song you hummed, a melody you composed — can become a registered sound asset,” says Dr. Sang. “You’ll be able to monetize it, license it, even fractionalize ownership.”
This shift empowers everyday creators to participate in the new cultural economy, where every voice has potential value.
The Business of Sound: AI, Reuse, and New Markets
Sound assets aren’t meant to sit idle. After purchase, buyers — often tech companies or content developers — use these assets in innovative ways:
- Integrating traditional music into AI-generated wellness environments
- Enhancing virtual reality tours with authentic ambient sounds
- Training large language models (LLMs) and audio AIs with culturally rich datasets
For instance, imagine entering a smart relaxation pod that uses AI to curate personalized soundscapes. Based on your preferences, it blends Mongolian horsehead fiddle melodies with ocean waves — both sourced from traded sound assets.
This reuse cycle creates ongoing revenue streams for original rights holders while fueling next-gen applications in entertainment, health tech, and education.
👉 See how blockchain-backed digital assets are powering the future of creative industries.
Market Potential: A Blue Ocean in Cultural Digitalization
The numbers speak volumes.
- China’s music-related assets account for one-third of the global total
- Over 17 trillion minutes of high-value dynamic sound recordings have already been digitized
- At estimated registration fees of ¥3–5 per minute (based on cultural tier), full registration could generate hundreds of billions in economic output
And the momentum is accelerating.
According to the National Cultural Big Data Exchange:
- On February 13, 2025, cumulative transactions across its platforms surpassed 10 billion RMB
- By June 18, 2025, total transaction volume reached 42.5 billion RMB, with 38.95 billion added that year alone
These figures underscore a rapidly expanding ecosystem where culture meets commerce through technology.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I sell my own voice recording on this platform?
A: Not yet — currently, only institutional and heritage-grade assets are accepted. However, individual creators will gain access starting next year.
Q: How is ownership proven for old or traditional sounds?
A: Ownership relies on institutional custody (e.g., national archives) or community representation (e.g., recognized非遗传承人). Blockchain logs ensure traceability.
Q: Are purchased sound assets royalty-free?
A: No — usage rights vary by license type. Buyers may acquire limited-use licenses or full commercial rights depending on the sale terms.
Q: Can AI-generated sounds be listed as assets?
A: Yes, if they incorporate original human-created elements or are based on protected cultural data.
Q: Is there a risk of cultural appropriation?
A: The platform enforces strict ethical guidelines and requires provenance verification to prevent misuse of sacred or sensitive content.
Q: How does blockchain protect my sound asset?
A: Each asset receives a unique digital fingerprint (NFT-like token), recording ownership history and transaction trail immutably.
The Future of Sound Ownership
We’re witnessing the birth of a new asset class — one rooted in humanity’s oldest form of expression: sound.
From preserving vanishing dialects to enabling musicians to earn passive income from centuries-old tunes, this platform bridges tradition and technology. It transforms cultural memory into living value.
As AI, blockchain, and digital marketplaces converge, the line between art and asset blurs — not in a way that commodifies culture cheaply, but one that honors its depth while ensuring its survival.
Whether you're an artist, historian, investor, or simply someone who hums a tune under your breath — your sound might one day have real-world value.
👉 Learn how you can prepare for the future of digital cultural assets and decentralized ownership.