An ISIN is an international securities identification number. ISINs are universally recognized as identification for securities that are traded on multiple exchanges throughout the world. As an example, a company's common stock may use different ticker symbols for different exchanges, but the security's ISIN will be the same everywhere.
The ISIN consists of a 12-digit alphanumeric code, which maintains consistency across different exchanges and currency rates. In the United States, ISINs are extended versions of CUSIP numbers, with a country code and check digit added to the beginning and end of the CUSIP.
ISINs are assigned by the International Securities Identification Numbers Organisation, an international agency. Specific ISIN numbers can be located using our Bloomberg terminal.