It is reported that there is no obligation for passive infrastructure sharing in New Zealand to deliver telecom services to end users. However, it is practised in both the mobile and fixed sectors based on commercial agreements.

It is reported that New Zealand does not mandate accounting separation for operators with significant market power (SMP) in the telecom market. However, Under the Telecommunications Act, functional separation is mandated for operators with significant market power.

Interconnection with and pricing to networks are regulated under Schedule 1 of the Telecommunications Act 2001. The 2011 amendments to the Telecommunications Act introduced information disclosure requirements for the companies building the ultrafast broadband fibre network and Chorus. The companies are required to meet annual reporting requirements, assurance requirements, certificates and statutory declarations, and data retention requirements.

The Telecommunications (Interception Capability and Security) Act 2013 creates upon a network operator 1) a duty to implement full interception capability (Section 9) and 2) a duty to assist a surveillance agency upon an inception warrant or any other lawful interception authority (Section 24). In order to comply with the assistance duty, a network operator must decrypt telecommunication on that operator’s public telecommunications network or telecommunications service "if (a) the content of that telecommunication has been encrypted; and (b) the network operator intercepting the telecommunication has provided that encryption."
However, this does not require a network operator to "(a) decrypt any telecommunication on that operator’s public telecommunications network or telecommunications service if the encryption has been provided by means of a product that is (i) supplied by a person other than the operator and is available to the public or (ii) supplied by the operator as an agent for that product; and (b) ensure that a surveillance agency has the ability to decrypt any telecommunication.
Nevertheless, the existence of these duties together practically means that network operators cannot design and implement end-to-end encryption. A joint communique called International Statement - End-to-End Encryption and Public Safety - expressed concern about the challenges that end-to-end encryption will pose to law enforcement but at the same time acknowledged privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property protection. The government' stated that it is committed to collaborating with the industry to develop "reasonable proposals" on this issue.

New Zealand has appended the World Trade Organization (WTO) Telecom Reference Paper to its schedule of commitments.

New Zealand is a party to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Government Procurement (GPA), and its commitments also cover the services sectors considered most important for digital trade, namely telecommunication services (CPC752), telecommunication-related services (CPC 754), and computer and related services (CPC 84).

There are no foreign ownership limitations in sectors relevant for digital trade.

According to Section 10 of the Companies Act 1993 (introduced in May 2015 by the Companies Amendment Act 2015), any company incorporated in New Zealand is required to have at least one director living in New Zealand or living in an 'enforcement country' and is a director of a company that is registered in that enforcement country. Per Section 12 of the Companies Act Regulations 1994, the only enforcement country currently named in the regulations is Australia. The residency requirement does not apply to a branch of an overseas company registered in New Zealand that merely "carries on business" in New Zealand, as defined in Section 332 of the Companies Act.

New Zealand has imposed a three-stage screening process for foreign investments (FDI). According to Section 11 of the Overseas Investment Act of 2005, foreign investors seeking to acquire a significant business asset must obtain consent. Section 13 defines a significant business asset as an investment involving 25% or greater ownership or exceeding NZD 100 million (approx. USD 71 million). Section 18 specifies the approval criteria (known as the investor test), which assess the investor’s business experience and financial capability to manage the investment.
Additionally, FDI may be subject to a national interest test under the Urgent Measures Act of 2020. As per Section 20C, if a transaction is deemed contrary to the national interest, consent may be denied. Section 20A specifies that transactions subject to this test include investments in strategically important sectors, such as telecommunications infrastructure and media entities, as outlined in the Guidance Note.
Lastly, investment activities may also be subject to "call-in transactions," where the government has the authority to block, impose conditions on, or mandate the disposal of investments if they are deemed to pose a threat to national security or public order, as detailed in Part 3 of the Urgent Measures Act.

New Zealand is a signatory of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Information Technology Agreement (ITA) of 1996 and its 2015 expansion (ITA II).

Under Rule 17 of the Government Procurement Rules, agencies must consider how they can create opportunities for New Zealand businesses, including Māori, Pasifika and regional businesses, as well as social enterprises. According to the Progressive Procurement Policy announced in December 2020, agencies need to ensure that at least 8% of the total number of annual procurement contracts are awarded to Māori businesses. According to the law, a Māori business for government procurement purposes is (i) one that has at least 50% Māori ownership or (ii) a Māori Authority as defined by the Inland Revenue Department.

Under the Unified Directives Related to Payment Systems 2079, specific transaction limits are imposed on electronic transactions, encompassing those conducted via mobile banking, internet banking, and e-wallets. The daily transaction limit for mobile banking, including QR code payments, is set at NPR 300,000 (approx. USD 2,200), while internet banking transactions are capped at NPR 2 million (approx. USD 14,800) per day. Additionally, users can transfer up to NPR 200,000 (approx. USD 1,500) per day and NPR 1 million (approx. USD 7,400) per month from a bank account to an e-wallet. Similarly, transfers from e-wallets to bank accounts are restricted to NPR 200,000 (approx. USD 1,500) per day and NPR 1 million (approx. USD 7,400) per month. Transfers between e-wallets are limited to NPR 50,000 (approx. USD 370) per day and NPR 500,000 (approx. USD 3,700) per month.
The Nepal Rastra Bank, serving as Nepal's Central Bank, has established these ceilings on maximum daily and monthly electronic transaction amounts through various directives, starting with one issued in 2018.

According to Chapter 3 of the Payment and Settlement By-Laws of 2015, payment-related service providers are required to register a company in Nepal. Furthermore, under the Licensing Policy for Institutions/Mechanisms Operating Payment-Related Activities, providers must obtain a license from Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the central bank of Nepal, to operate as either a Payment Service Provider (PSP) or a Payment System Operator (PSO). PSPs are institutions that offer payment services through electronic means, including domestic money transfer and bill payment services for goods and services. PSOs are institutions involved in the operation, control, and clearing of payment-related activities.
It is reported that the Payment and Settlement By-Law 2020, issued by NRB in June 2020, supersedes the previous regulation. However, it is reported that the requirement to obtain a license from Nepal's central bank to operate as either a PSP or PSO remains in effect. The legal text is not available online.