Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation Launches the Global LEI Index Available Online to Any Interested Party Free of Charge
Together with the Global LEI Index, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation introduces its web-based search tool, which now provides easy access to the complete Legal Entity Identifier data pool
Author: Stephan Wolf
Date: 2015-10-20
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On 20 October 2015, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) launched the Global LEI Index, which provides information, updated daily, on all LEIs issued to date. Any interested party can easily access and search the complete LEI data pool free of charge using the web-based LEI search tool developed by GLEIF. This blog post summarizes key information on the launch of the Global LEI Index and the LEI search tool developed by GLEIF.
The links to the GLEIF website pages providing access to the Global LEI Index using the LEI search tool, and detailed description thereof, are included in the ‘related links’ below.
Make the Global LEI Index work for you: use cases
The Global LEI Index consists of a golden copy of all past and current LEI records including related reference data in one repository. The reference data provides the information on a legal entity identifiable with an LEI. Accessing the data online for searching, comparing and downloading supports a multitude of applications in, for example, risk management, compliance, client relationship management and data management. The Global LEI Index enables, among other things:
Clear and unique identification of legal entities participating in financial transactions, e.g. counterparty identification, by searching for an entity’s name to check its LEI and related reference data.
Identification of client exposure through linking internal information with LEI data.
Analysis of underlying and external exposures, e.g. reference names in collateralized debt obligations, mutual funds or vendor products.
Onboarding of new clients through fast access to business card information.
Resolution of conflicts that may arise from outdated client data in global asset servicing, accounting, compliance, risk and financial reporting.
Fast and easy access: the LEI search tool developed by GLEIF
Together with the Global LEI Index, GLEIF has introduced version 1 of its web-based LEI search tool. It provides easy access to the complete LEI data pool. The tool also empowers users to quickly find and compare LEI data based on a wide range of search criteria and without any technical restrictions.
The LEI search tool developed by GLEIF essentially works like a sophisticated but easy to use search engine. Search results are presented in the web browser or in various other formats for further processing (Excel, CSV, XML, JSON). Other features ensuring user friendliness include pre-defined queries, comparing results for multiple LEIs and storing complex queries for recurrent searches.
The search tool is based on a NoSQL index engine, allowing queries by attribute or across all attributes at once. Query results are presented in useful order sequences, anticipating human expectations on relevance. Auto-complete and “Did you mean …?” functions try to help in cases where the exact spelling of names might not be known. GLEIF also provides the full data set searchable with the tool, i.e. the ‘GLEIF Concatenated File’, via its file download service available on the GLEIF website. The GLEIF Concatenated File contains the content of the individual files, published by the LEI issuing organizations, which list all LEIs issued to legal entities and related LEI reference data.
With the LEI search tool, GLEIF also makes available key facts, figures and statistics on the global LEI population via interactive graphs and a world map drill down. Adapted versions for mobile phone users will follow soon.
The drivers of the LEI initiative, that is the Group of 20, the Financial Stability Board and many regulators around the world, have emphasized the need to make the LEI a broad public good. The launch of the Global LEI Index, together with the LEI search engine, greatly contributes to meeting this objective. It puts the complete LEI data, made available by GLEIF as the authoritative source, at the disposal of any interested party conveniently and free of charge.
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Stephan Wolf is the CEO of the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF). In 2023, he was elected as a member of the Board of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Germany. In 2021, he was appointed to an all-new Industry Advisory Board (IAB) as part of the global ICC Digital Standards Initiative (DSI). In that capacity, he serves as co-chair of the workstream on ‚Trusted Technology Environment‘. Between January 2017 and June 2020, Mr. Wolf was Co-convener of the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 68 FinTech Technical Advisory Group (ISO TC 68 FinTech TAG). In January 2017, Mr. Wolf was named one of the Top 100 Leaders in Identity by One World Identity. He has extensive experience in establishing data operations and global implementation strategy. He has led the advancement of key business and product development strategies throughout his career. Mr. Wolf co-founded IS Innovative Software GmbH in 1989 and served first as its managing director. He was later named spokesman of the executive board of its successor, IS.Teledata AG. This company ultimately became part of Interactive Data Corporation, where Mr. Wolf held the role of CTO. Mr. Wolf holds a university degree in business administration from J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main.
