As the digital economy flourishes, data has become a pivotal driver of corporate value creation, and the disclosure of data-related information has accordingly emerged as a focal point for market attention. From the perspective of corporate reputation as an informal institution, this paper empirically examines the impact of data asset disclosure on corporate reputation and its mechanism of action, using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2023. Research has shown that data asset information disclosure can help enhance firm reputation. Mechanism verification shows that data asset information disclosure can improve information transparency, and attract media attention, thereby enhancing firm reputation. Further analysis reveals that the role of data asset information disclosure in enhancing firm reputation is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, those located in the eastern region, high-tech enterprises, those with high institutional investor shareholding ratios, and those with strong analyst attention. In addition, CEOs’ IT background can enhance the role of data asset information disclosure in improving firm reputation. Moreover, data asset disclosure significantly strengthens the positive impact of corporate reputation on both strategic aggressiveness and high-quality development of enterprise. The research conclusions not only provide strong empirical evidence for enterprises to value the development and disclosure of data assets, but also offer important policy references for regulatory authorities to establish a long  term mechanism to guide enterprises to disclose data asset information in a standardized manner.