Legal Entity Identifier Number (LEI)

The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a unique 20-character alpha-numeric code based on the ISO 17442 standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It connects to key reference information that enables a clear and unique identification of legal entities participating in financial transactions. Each LEI contains information about an entity’s ownership structure and answers the questions of “who is who” and “who owns whom.” To find out more please refer to Introduction to Legal Entity Identifiers.

If you do not have an LEI, please use this link to apply.

If your company does not have an LEI, you may provide a Designated Business Identifier (DBI) or a Business Identifier Code (BIC) as an alternative. Please be aware that the company will need to apply for these documents.

Designated Business Identifier (DBI)

The DBI (also known as AVID) is an eight-digit numerical code that was primarily in use before the creation of the LEI standard. The DBI has limited applications today, although it can still be used in some circumstances.

Business Identifier Code (BIC)

BIC codes are generally (although not exclusively) obtained by counterparties using SWIFT messages for their transactions. Therefore, counterparties that are not part of the SWIFT network are unlikely to have a BIC code, as are certain counterparty types such as funds. The BIC (from SWIFT) format consists of either 8 characters, or 11 characters, and starts with alphabet characters. To find out more about the SWIFT format, please refer to this link.