The future of the LEI: transparency and trust in the global economy

20 November 2024

Towards a more secure and transparent global digital economy

Digital transformation is revolutionising companies, industries, and markets worldwide. At the same time, the need for trust and transparency is becoming ever clearer—especially in an increasingly globalised economy. In this context, the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) plays a crucial role: it creates a standardised, reliable basis for uniquely identifying companies worldwide.

Within a decade, the Global LEI System has become essential to the global financial infrastructure. It enables improved transparency, reduces risks, and supports companies and regulatory authorities in creating a secure economic environment. Today, the LEI is not just a tool for financial transactions but an integral part of the digital economy.

What is the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)?

The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is an internationally standardised 20-digit code uniquely identifying companies and other legal entities worldwide. This system was developed to ensure transparency in financial transactions and strengthen trust in global trade.

An LEI contains essential information about the ownership structure of an organisation, including

The legal name of the organisation

The location and legal address

Information about the parent company or subsidiaries

This data provides a clear view of complex corporate structures and is particularly valuable for authorities, banks and business partners.

Verifiable LEI (vLEI): A look into the future

With the introduction of the verifiable LEI (vLEI), the Global LEI System goes one step further. The vLEI enables real-time digital authentication and verification of organisations and their representatives. This is an important step forward, especially in a digital economy where speed, security and efficiency are paramount.

The benefits of vLEI include:

Automated KYC (Know Your Customer):

Financial institutions can use the vLEI to speed up new customers‘ onboarding process significantly.

Combating financial crime:

vLEI helps to prevent fraud and money laundering through improved transparency and traceability.

Optimising supply chains:

Companies can check their business partners faster and more securely, increasing global supply chain efficiency.

Progress and Innovations in the Global LEI System

The Global LEI System has made remarkable progress in recent years. In addition to the increasing use of the LEI, new initiatives have been launched to expand the benefits of the system further

GLEIF Awards 2023

The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) has introduced the GLEIF Awards to recognise the outstanding achievements of LEI issuers. These awards promote innovation and data quality and contribute to strengthening the global financial ecosystem.

Policy Conformity Flag

This feature indicates whether an LEI record is up-to-date and complete. It helps organisations to access reliable and up-to-date data and promotes data quality throughout the system.

Transparency in Global Markets Challenge

This new initiative for 2024 emphasises the importance of transparency and interoperability in global markets. It aims to help companies worldwide fully realise LEI’s benefits.

Why the LEI remains indispensable

The importance of the LEI is growing in line with the requirements of a globalised economy. The LEI offers numerous advantages for companies:

Risk mitigation:

Regulators and businesses can better assess and manage risk.

Regulatory compliance:

The LEI facilitates regulatory compliance, especially for cross-border transactions.

Building trust:

The LEI strengthens trust between business partners by creating transparency and traceability.

Economic inclusion:

Small and medium-sized enterprises benefit from more accessible access to international markets.

The LEI plays a key role, particularly in cross-border payments. It helps to make payment transactions more secure and efficient while reducing costs.

The path to a secure and transparent future

Looking ahead to the next ten years, GLEIF plans to integrate the LEI even more firmly into the digital economy. The aim is further to develop the LEI as a ‚public good‘ and open up new opportunities for companies worldwide.

The tireless work of the LEI issuing organisations and the support of authorities and companies play a crucial role. Through continued stakeholder collaboration, the Global LEI System will continue to grow and help create a resilient and transparent global economic system.

Conclusion

The Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) is much more than a simple identification code. It is a cornerstone of the modern economy, promoting transparency and trust in an increasingly digital world. Companies that adopt the LEI at an early stage benefit from efficiency gains and contribute to a fairer and more secure global economy.