ASIC File

What are ASIC files and how to open them

Are you having problems opening an ASIC file or are you simply curious about its contents? We're here to explain the properties of these files and provide you with software that can open or handle your ASIC files.

What is an ASIC file?

An .ASIC file is an ASiC Container file.

Associated Signature Containers (ASiC) provide a standardized way to bundle one or more data files together with their advanced electronic signatures or time-stamp tokens into a single secure container. Their main purpose is to ensure that signatures stay linked to the exact versions of files they were applied to, which supports integrity, non-repudiation, and long-term verification under regulations like eIDAS by combining signed content and signature data in a structured archive.

This format is produced by applications and services that need to generate legally binding digital signatures for documents or datasets. It is based on the ZIP archive format. The container is structured with a root folder for the data files and a META-INF folder for signatures, time assertions, and metadata. There are two main variants: ASiC-Simple (ASiC-S), which bundles one data object with its signature or time-stamp; and ASiC-Extended (ASiC-E), which can hold multiple data objects, each potentially signed, and allows adding more signatures or objects later without invalidating existing ones.

Internally the ASiC archive may include an uncompressed "mimetype" file at the start, often containing a string like "application/vnd.etsi.asic-s+zip" or "application/vnd.etsi.asic-e+zip", which serves to identify whether it is a simple or extended form. The ZIP file begins with the usual "PK" signature bytes, and the "mimetype" entry appears without compression so it can be recognized reliably.

How to open ASIC files

Important: Different programs may use files with the ASIC file extension for different purposes, so unless you are sure which format your ASIC file is, you may need to try a few different programs.

We have not yet verified any programs for Windows that work with this specific file format. If you know one, please use the 'Suggest a program' link below. Thanks!

Last updated: August 21, 2026

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