Intangible assets (IA) are assets that are non-physical in nature, such as goodwill, brand recognition, and software codes.

Considered a subset of IA, intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions, literary and artistic works, designs and symbols, and names used in commerce. These can be legally protected by registering for trade marks, patents, and designs, while some IP types like copyright are automatically protected upon creation.