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The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)

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The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)

The birthplace of global organizational identity

The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is the starting point for achieving a globally connected network of verifiable, interoperable business identity and information. It is a unique 20-character alphanumeric code that enables anyone, anywhere in the world, to access clear, unique identification data about a legal entity.

Every LEI is unique and can represent only one entity.

Each entity’s LEI code connects to verified reference information from authoritative local sources, including the entity’s ownership structure, which is accessible in the Global LEI Index.

In this way, the LEI answers the questions of 'who is who’ and ‘who owns whom’.

The LEI adheres to four necessary principles of ISO 17442:

  • A global standard

  • A single unique identifier assigned to each legal entity

  • Supported by high-quality data

  • A public good, available free of charge to all users

Legal entities worldwide recognize, agree with, and trust in the LEI’s legitimacy because it is based on the global ISO 17442 standard, and because it is administered by GLEIF, a supranational, not-for-profit foundation, backed by the G20 and the Financial Stability Board, and overseen by the Regulatory Oversight Committee (ROC).

Keen to get an LEI? See our list of LEI Issuers , also referred to as a Local Operating Unit (LOU).

The idea of a global, public Reference Data Utility germinates at ECB Statistics

JC Trichet (former president of the ECB), under the impression of his Lehman experiences, gives his blessing to the idea

Speech by JC Trichet CESR calling for international public reference data infrastructure

Publication of Dodd-Frank Act, leading the development and launch of the Global LEI System

US Treasury speaks to EU Commission, opens door for LEI dossier going to FSB

FSB takes the lead to prepare a recommendation for a LEI governance framework

ISO 17442, Part 1 Published

G20 endorses LEI Charter, establishing the ROC and the Global LEI System

Implementation of European Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR)

First Meeting of the Regulatory Oversight Committee (ROC)

CFTC Rule demands LEI – first “CICI”, then “pre-LEIs”.

Global LEI Foundation established under Swiss law

Office set up in Frankfurt

Publication of first concatenated LEI data – Level 1 Data to answer the question of ‘who is who’

Accreditation of first LEI Issuers

FSB takes the lead to prepare a recommendation for a LEI governance framework

Global LEI Index reaches 1 million records

Implementation of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) and the Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (MiFIR)

GLEIF launches the Registration Agent concept

First Mapping Partnership enabling market participants to link and cross-reference key entity identifiers free of charge

ISO 17442, part 2, for embedding LEIs in digital certificates ITU-T X.509 | ISO/IEC9594-8

Founded GLEIF Americas

Decision to develop a digital “verifiable” LEI using verifiable credentials

The People’s Bank of China publishes the 5-Year Roadmap for LEI adoption

FSB cross-border payments roadmap publication

First Validation Agent starts operations

Established Japan Office

Mandate from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to use the LEI in cross-border transactions

GLEIF and Trust Over IP Foundation Publish Ecosystem Governance Framework for Digitally Verifiable LEI

Established Singapore branch

vLEI Demo application “GLEIF Annual Report 2021”

GLEIF Rebrand to reflect the evolution to a new strategic direction: Driving voluntary adoption for the LEI across sectors

Qualification of first vLEI Issuer

Global LEI Index reaches 2 million records

Decision to establish country representation in India

Implementing new ROC policies (Legal Entity Events, Fund Relationships & Government Entities) outlining new LEI data formats, creating more transparency in the global marketplace

Mandate from South Korea’s Financial Services Commission on using LEI in investment account registration for foreign corporate entities

Decision to establish country representation in China

Mandate from the Financial Services Agency of Japan to use the LEI for OTC derivatives market participants

The journey to one global identity behind every business

A decade of excellence. A history of the Global LEI System

Relevant Files for Download

Download as PDF: The Legal Entity Identifier - Questions and Answers

Gleif website, https://www.gleif.org/en/organizational-identity/lei-vlei/the-legal-entity-identifier-lei, published under GLEIF's website terms (CC0 unless a document is marked otherwise). Found through KERISSE. The abstract, the level and the labels on the catalog entry are the KERISuite Knowledge Base's own, CC BY 4.0.