LEI mapping with GLEIF: Digital entity identification becomes more transparent and efficient worldwide

6 maj 2025

The Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) is setting a new milestone in digital entity identification. In its latest video, ’LEI Mapping Explained: Accurate, Open, and Trusted Entity Identification with GLEIF,’ the foundation explains how organisations can link their existing identifiers with the globally established Legal Entity Identifier (LEI). This process—known as LEI mapping—is a decisive step towards greater transparency, trust, and efficiency in the global data landscape.

What is a Legal Entity Identifier (LEI)?

An LEI is a globally recognised 20-digit alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies legal entities. In the financial world, it serves as an important instrument for the allocation of companies in regulatory processes, risk assessments, and international business communication.

Why LEI mapping?

Many organisations today work with proprietary or industry-specific identification systems. This fragmentation makes data interoperability difficult, leads to higher costs for data reconciliation and harbours risks due to inconsistent information. LEI mapping offers a solution: linking existing identifiers with the LEI creates a uniform, open and standardised basis.

GLEIF offers a free and open certification process for this purpose. This process ensures that mappings are reliable, up-to-date, and trustworthy—a basic requirement for stable digital identities in the corporate context.

Advantages for companies and data providers

Transparency and trust:

Standardised LEI mappings reduce uncertainties in identifying business partners.

Data interoperability:

LEI mapping enables simple integration of different identity systems.

Cost reduction:

Companies benefit from lower data maintenance, verification and reconciliation costs.

Compliance benefits:

Reliable data supports compliance with regulatory requirements and facilitates reporting.

Open relationship tables for global collaboration

GLEIF regularly publishes so-called relationship files, i.e. open mapping tables that show how existing identifiers are linked to LEIs. Examples of this are

SWIFT – with monthly BIC-to-LEI mappings

OpenCorporates – for company data from over 130 countries

Qichacha (QCC) – for Chinese company data

These tables are publicly accessible and enable efficient use by banks, supervisory authorities, data providers and companies worldwide.

A central building block for the future of digital identities

With the expansion of LEI mapping, GLEIF is making an essential contribution to standardising digital corporate identities. In an increasingly digital business world, this type of open, interoperable identification is crucial for financial markets and e-commerce, supply chain management, KYC processes and global partnerships.

Summary

The video ”LEI Mapping Explained” provides clear and practical insight into the importance and functionality of LEI mapping. It provides companies, regulators, and technology providers with a valuable tool for standardising their data flows, building trust, and reducing costs.

Further information and the full video can be found on the official GLEIF website: www.gleif.org