To file a patent application in New Zealand, an address for service in New Zealand or Australia and a communication address (email address) are required under the Patents Regulations 2014 (Sections 3, 34). The address for service can be a business or residential address, post office box or document exchange box located in New Zealand or Australia. Any applicant may be represented by a patent attorney authorised to practice before the Office, and the address for service should normally be that of a registered patent attorney (Subpart 4).

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.

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.

According to the policy for domain name registration under NP CCTLD, only foreign companies that register in Nepal or register their trade name (trademark) with the government can register a '.np' domain.

The Nepali government has mandated that social network platforms (SNPs) such as Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube must register and establish offices in Nepal. According to Art. 6 of the "Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023", SNP operators must arrange a point of contact within Nepal to address grievances related to the use of social networks. Additionally, any SNP that does not have an office in Nepal at the commencement of these Directives must establish an office or designate a contact person within three months. Pursuant to Art. 3.7, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology may ban any SNP from operating in Nepal if it does not comply with these requirements.
Art. 2 of the Directive defines SNPs as Internet or information technology-based operating systems available to the public, such as Facebook, TikTok, Viber, Pinterest, WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, WeChat, and others, that allow individuals or organisations to exchange ideas or information with each other or to disseminate user-created content.

The Consumer Protection Act and the Electronic Transactions Act provide a comprehensive framework for consumer protection that also applies to online transactions. The Law on Electronic Transactions regulates electronic communications and records, and it establishes the legal provisions aimed at authenticating and regulating electronic data. It also creates a secure and authentic method of electronic communication while addressing the regulation of all issues related to electronic transactions.

Nepal has not signed the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts.

Nepal has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Commerce.

Nepal has not adopted national legislation based on or influenced by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Electronic Signatures.