A method of associating digital assets, which are online assets that provide a service or content, the method comprising: receiving electronic data comprising a statement defining an association between a delegating digital asset and a receiving digital asset, wherein the association defines one or more characteristics that the delegating digital asset is able to delegate to the receiving digital asset; determining whether the statement was made by an asset owner of the delegating digital asset by: determining an asset type associated with the delegating digital asset, wherein the asset type refers to a category, characterization of or function associated with the respective digital asset; determining, based on the determined asset type, a permissible location for authorized statements that are made by the asset owner regarding the delegating digital asset, wherein the permissible location is in the received electronic data or in a central location referenced in the received electronic data; and determining whether the statement is located in the permissible location; verifying the statement when the statement was made by the asset owner of the delegating digital asset, and subsequently executing the following: adding an entry to an association database, and storing in the entry an indication that the delegating digital asset grants the receiving digital asset the characteristics; not verifying the statement when the statement was not made by the asset owner of the delegating digital asset, wherein the association database comprises one or more statements regarding a set of digital assets and associations between the digital assets in the set, wherein the association database is accessible to one or more third parties to verify one or more of the associations between the digital assets in the set. receiving electronic data comprising a statement defining an association between a delegating digital asset and a receiving digital asset, wherein the association defines one or more characteristics that the delegating digital asset is able to delegate to the receiving digital asset; determining whether the statement was made by an asset owner of the delegating digital asset by: determining an asset type associated with the delegating digital asset, wherein the asset type refers to a category, characterization of or function associated with the respective digital asset; determining, based on the determined asset type, a permissible location for authorized statements that are made by the asset owner regarding the delegating digital asset, wherein the permissible location is in the received electronic data or in a central location referenced in the received electronic data; and determining whether the statement is located in the permissible location; verifying the statement when the statement was made by the asset owner of the delegating digital asset, and subsequently executing the following: adding an entry to an association database, and storing in the entry an indication that the delegating digital asset grants the receiving digital asset the characteristics; not verifying the statement when the statement was not made by the asset owner of the delegating digital asset, wherein the association database comprises one or more statements regarding a set of digital assets and associations between the digital assets in the set, wherein the association database is accessible to one or more third parties to verify one or more of the associations between the digital assets in the set. determining an asset type associated with the delegating digital asset, wherein the asset type refers to a category, characterization of or function associated with the respective digital asset; determining, based on the determined asset type, a permissible location for authorized statements that are made by the asset owner regarding the delegating digital asset, wherein the permissible location is in the received electronic data or in a central location referenced in the received electronic data; and determining whether the statement is located in the permissible location; verifying the statement when the statement was made by the asset owner of the delegating digital asset, and subsequently executing the following: adding an entry to an association database, and storing in the entry an indication that the delegating digital asset grants the receiving digital asset the characteristics; adding an entry to an association database, and storing in the entry an indication that the delegating digital asset grants the receiving digital asset the characteristics; not verifying the statement when the statement was not made by the asset owner of the delegating digital asset, wherein the association database comprises one or more statements regarding a set of digital assets and associations between the digital assets in the set, wherein the association database is accessible to one or more third parties to verify one or more of the associations between the digital assets in the set.