Based on the regional trade agreements signed by the global economies from 2008 to 2019, this paper uses the “clause counting index” method to measure the deepening value of RTAs’ digital intellectual property rules, and empirically investigates the impact and mechanism of the deepening of RTAs’ digital intellectual property rules on the domestic added value of service exports by using OECD TIVA database. The results show that the deepening of RTAs’ digital intellectual property rules has a signifi cant eff ect on the promotion of domestic added value of service exports, and its promotion eff ect is proportional to the depth of the terms; RTAs digital intellectual property rules can aff ect the domestic added value of service exports through the shortening eff ect of institutional distance and innovation eff ect; Digital copyright clauses, digital trademark rights clauses, digital technology protection clauses and digital intellectual property enforcement Clauses all have the eff ect of enhancing the domestic added value of service exports, but the eff ect of improving the digital intellectual property enforcement may be limited due to the diffi culty of implementation; Notably, the DVA-enhancing eff ect of RTA digital IPR rules is more pronounced for economies separated by signifi cant “geographical distance gaps” and “cultural distance gaps”. This study can provide policy reference for China to deeply participate in global intellectual property governance and promote the negotiation of China’s RTAs digital intellectual property rules.