ISIN meaning

An ISIN (International securities identification Number) is the unique 12-character alphanumeric code used to identify a specific security (for example, shares, bonds or fund units) and is routinely quoted in market announcements, prospectuses and other regulatory filings. It is an internationally standardised identifier set by ISO 6166 (not by statute or case law). An ISIN comprises a two-letter country code, a nine-character national security identifier and a final check digit. ISINs are allocated by the relevant National Numbering Agency (for example, the London Stock Exchange in the UK and Euronext Dublin in Ireland) and published through the ANNA ISIN database. In UK and Irish legal practice, ISINs are used to identify instruments for settlement and clearing, in stock exchange announcements (including RNS/Euronext Dublin notices), and in regulatory reporting and disclosure, such as prospectus and listing documentation, Market Abuse Regulation disclosures (including PDMR notifications and insider lists), MiFIR transaction reporting (UK MiFIR/EU MiFIR) and major shareholding notifications (DTR/Transparency rules). Usage and meaning are broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.