A solution for spontaneous sharing between a sharer and a recipient device of a media asset reference for a media asset purchased through a media service by a user of the sharer device using a short-range wireless protocol is described. The reference includes a network resolvable identifier of a media service from which the media asset was purchased and an identifier of the media asset. The reference can also include the identity of the user who purchased and is sharing the reference thus allowing the media service to track distribution of its asset and provide an incentive based on sharing if desired when the recipient user sends a request for the media asset via the Internet to the media service including the media asset reference.