The invention provides a digital asset authentication system and method. The invention includes a digital asset metadata register storing details of parties enrolled with the system, including at least one end user and at least one digital asset supplier, and details of digital assets available from the digital asset supplier. A security module is provided for producing a unique tag and for creating a digital asset security container for the tag comprising data relating to events involving the tag, and the tag and the security container are stored in a store. A processor executes authentication software in response to a request from said one end user for a respective digital asset to validate the request by reference to the metadata register to verify that the metadata register lists said one end user and the respective digital asset. In response to a valid request, the processor firstly causes the security module to produce the tag and to create the security container containing data relating to the end user, the digital asset request and the digital asset, and secondly generates a message for said one end user including the tag and authorizing release of said digital asset for download, play or use.