Developing a Responsible and Well-designed Governance Structure for Data Marketplaces

The document proposes a governance framework for data marketplaces where Data Marketplace Service Providers (DMSPs) act as 'trust anchors' and intermediaries. It identifies five key responsibilities for DMSPs: providing settlement functions, screening participants, ensuring data quality, disclosing transaction information, and resolving disputes. The paper also highlights critical design considerations, such as the distinction between sectoral and cross-sectoral markets, the trading of access rights rather than ownership, and the need for global governance harmonization to enable cross-border data transfers.

• Data Marketplace Service Providers (DMSPs) are defined as entities that operate data marketplaces regardless of whether the platform was initiated by a government, private company, or a combination of entities. They are intended to function as data intermediaries that match supply from providers with demand from users, while serving as "trust anchors" to enhance marketplace trust.
• The Study Group on Vitalization of Data Marketplaces identified five primary roles and responsibilities for DMSPs: providing secure settlement functions to reduce transaction costs; auditing buyers and sellers based on eligibility requirements; ensuring data quality through uniform formats and assessment criteria; disclosing transaction prices; and providing arbitration and sanctions for dispute resolution.
• Because data is infinitely copyable, the document argues that data marketplaces should trade the right to access data rather than traditional ownership rights. This necessitates the design of title deeds and the potential use of encryption technology to prevent unauthorized third-party use.
• The paper identifies several unresolved design issues for future data marketplaces, including whether markets should be sectoral (e.g., energy, environment) or cross-sectoral, whether they should be restricted to professionals or open to the general public, and how to stabilize prices during the market formation phase.
• To enable cross-border interoperability of data marketplaces, the document emphasizes the importance of promoting shared principles and harmonizing governance through public-private partnerships and standardization processes.

APA

Nakanishi, T. (2021). Developing a Responsible and Well-designed Governance Structure for Data Marketplaces. World Economic Forum. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_DCPI_Governance_Structure_Towards_Data_Exchanges_2021.pdf

Chicago

Nakanishi, Tomoaki. Developing a Responsible and Well-designed Governance Structure for Data Marketplaces. World Economic Forum, 2021. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_DCPI_Governance_Structure_Towards_Data_Exchanges_2021.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Nakanishi |first1=Tomoaki |title=Developing a Responsible and Well-designed Governance Structure for Data Marketplaces |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=August 2021 |url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_DCPI_Governance_Structure_Towards_Data_Exchanges_2021.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{nakanishi2021developing, author = {Nakanishi, Tomoaki}, title = {{Developing a Responsible and Well-designed Governance Structure for Data Marketplaces}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2021}, month = aug, url = {http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_DCPI_Governance_Structure_Towards_Data_Exchanges_2021.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }