Growing importance of the LEI: Why now is the right time for LEI registration

29 April 2025

Demand for the Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) will reach a new record level in 2025. In the first quarter of this year alone, over 92,000 new LEI numbers were issued worldwide – a clear signal of the growing trust in this global identification system. In total, there are now over 2.71 million active LEIs in circulation. For companies operating internationally or fulfilling regulatory requirements, timely LEI registration is increasingly becoming a business-critical step.7

DORA and global regulation are driving LEI growth

A key driver of this development is the European Union’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). Since the beginning of 2025, financial companies have been obliged to uniquely identify their IT service providers – via an active LEI or EUID. For non-European providers, the LEI is even the only recognised identifier. This makes the LEI application a regulatory requirement for many international service providers.

The implementation of DORA is having an impact: countries such as Latvia (+15.6 %), India (+11.7 %) and Lithuania (+7.9 %) are currently experiencing extreme growth rates in LEI registrations. In India, the LEI is even becoming a prerequisite for corporate loans above a specific size. Therefore, companies that want to secure their financing can no longer avoid timely LEI registration.

The LEI is the key to cyber resilience and trust

However, not just regulatory requirements put the LEI at the centre of attention. Increasing digital networking and rising cyber resilience requirements make a standardised, verifiable corporate identity indispensable. The LEI number offers exactly that: a globally standardised identifier that creates trust in digital business processes—whether in the financial sector, in trade, or in public tenders.

The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) actively supports this trend through comprehensive transparency initiatives. This means that current and historical LEI data is publicly accessible to everyone – a strong signal in favour of openness and traceability in the corporate environment.

LEI renewals on the rise – focus on data quality

Another positive signal is that the renewal of existing LEI registrations is also increasing significantly. The global renewal rate rose to 56.3 %, with leaders such as Japan (91.3 %) and Germany (76.5 %). This shows that companies are increasingly recognising the value of an up-to-date and complete LEI record—also thanks to new quality labels such as the “Policy Conformity Flag,” which makes data quality visible.

Act now – with a clear competitive advantage

Companies that submit an LEI application today ensure regulatory conformity and a real competitive advantage: They create trust among business partners, investors, and authorities worldwide.

Anyone operating internationally or wishing to gain a foothold in the financial market in the future should act now. LEI registration is simple, cost-effective, and quick to complete, and it opens the door to greater security, transparency, and digital opportunities.

Summary:

The LEI is increasingly becoming the central digital identity for companies worldwide. Whether due to regulatory pressure such as DORA or the growing need for verifiable company information, The LEI number is here to stay. For companies of all sizes, now is the ideal time for an LEI application.