The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is a 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 clear and unique identification of legal entities participating in financial transactions. Each LEI contains information about an entity’s ownership structure and thus answers the questions of 'who is who’ and ‘who owns whom’. Simply put, the publicly available LEI data pool can be regarded as a global directory, which greatly enhances transparency in the global marketplace.

Established by the Financial Stability Board in June 2014, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) is tasked to support the implementation and use of the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI). The foundation is backed and overseen by the LEI Regulatory Oversight Committee, representing public authorities from around the globe that have come together to jointly drive forward transparency within the global financial markets. GLEIF is a supra-national not-for-profit organization headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.

GLEIF makes available the Global LEI Index; i.e. the only global online source that provides open, standardized and high quality legal entity reference data. By doing so, GLEIF enables people and businesses to make smarter, less costly and more reliable decisions about who to do business with.

Yes, RBI is implementing the LEI system in a phased manner for participants (other than individuals) in the over-the-counter markets for rupee interest rate derivatives, foreign currency derivatives and credit derivatives in India in terms of RBI circular FMRD.FMID No. 14/11.01.007/2016-17 dated June 1, 2017 and for large corporate borrowers of banks in terms of RBI Circular DBR.No.BP.BC.92/21.04.048/2017-18 dated November 2, 2017.

If you own a business which maybe propreitorship, partnership, LLP or a company, trust you should apply and take a LEI