BS ISO 6166:2021

What is ISO 6166 about?  

ISO 6166 discusses international securities identification number (ISIN). ISO 6166 provides a uniform structure for the identification of financial instruments as well as referential instruments using a unique identification code and associated minimum descriptive data.  

The goal of ISO 6166 “ISIN” (International Securities Identification Number) is to standardize the identification of securities and other financial instruments via a unified system and a uniform classification. 

Who is ISO 6166 for? 

ISO 6166 on financial services with an international securities identification number is useful for: 

• Stock exchanges 
• National numbering agencies 
• Regulatory authorities 
• Stockbrokers 
• Investment bankers 

Why should you use ISO 6166?  

With the rapid expansion of international business in financial instruments, there was a need for a universally applicable international securities identification number (ISIN). Countries with a developed financial market identified issues of securities by means of code numbers, which are without any significance outside the country concerned.  

The ISIN system described in ISO 6166 is internationally applicable and facilitates international trading of financial instruments. 

Overall, ISO 6166 ensures a consistent format so that holdings of institutional investors can be tracked consistently across markets worldwide. 

What’s changed since the last update?  

BS ISO 6166:2021 supersedes BS ISO 6166:2013. BS ISO 6166:2021 includes some technical changes concerning BS ISO 6166:2013. These include: 

• Clarification that the scope covers financial instruments as well as referential instruments 
• Addition of new instrument types to which the ISIN code can be allocated (derivative products with EZ and ZZ prefix, baskets, emission allowances and carbon credits)  
• Addition of new minimum descriptive elements (Annex B)