What Is a CUSIP Number?

A CUSIP number is a unique nine-digit identification number assigned to financial securities in the United States and Canada. It covers equity, debt, derivatives, and other securities. CUSIP numbers are used to create a concrete distinction between securities that are traded on public markets.

These numbers help facilitate trades and settlements by providing a constant identifier to help distinguish the securities within a trade. Each trade and the corresponding CUSIP number are recorded to facilitate the tracking of actions and activities.

How CUSIP Numbers Work

Pronounced Q-sip CUSIP is an acronym for the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, which oversees the entire CUSIP system. Just like the stock symbols assigned to the shares of a publicly traded company, a CUSIP number is a unique identifier attached to the equity, debt, and other securities issued by a company. It is similar to a serial number and is made up of nine digits:

• The first six alphanumeric characters are known as the base or CUSIP-6, which identifies the issuer
• The seventh and eighth digits identify the type of security
• The ninth digit is a check digit that is automatically generated

The table below highlights some of the securities that are identified by CUSIP numbers.

Equity	Debt	Other
Common Stock	Corporate Bonds	Hedge Funds
Preferred Stock	Municipal Bonds	Derivatives
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)	Commercial Paper	Variable Annuities
Mutual Funds	Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs)	Insurance-Related Vehicles
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)	Certificates of Deposit (CDs)	Capital Securities
American Depository Receipts (ADRs)	Asset-Backed Securities	Equity-Linked Notes
Indexes	Syndicated Loans	Credit Derivatives

By providing a consistent identifier that distinguishes securities, CUSIP numbers help facilitate and ease actions and activities such as trades and settlements. CUSIP Global Services creates anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 new identifiers each day.

CUSIP Global Services is managed by FactSet Research Systems on behalf of the American Bankers Association (ABA). FactSet purchased CUSIP Global Services from Standard & Poor's (S&P) in 2022 for about $1.925 billion.

How to Locate a CUSIP Number

CUSIP numbers are publicly available and can be accessed through the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) via the Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) system. Additionally, the information is often listed on official statements relating to a security such as confirmations of purchase or periodic financial statements, or the information can be accessed through various securities dealers.

CUSIP vs. ISIN vs. CINS

CUSIP Global Services also has a series of other important identifiers along with CUSIP. Two of these are ISIN and CINS.

ISIN

Expanding beyond the CUSIP system is the International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) system. ISINs are used internationally with most United States and Canadian securities labeled with an additional two-character prefix and one final check character attached at the end of the originally issued CUSIP.

Additionally, information regarding the currency of the specified security is also required to facilitate proper processing and recording. This has helped establish an international system for the clearance of securities. While it is not yet used worldwide, the ISIN system has gained traction across foreign markets as a way to simplify trading processes, particularly for international investing.

CINS

A CINS number, which is known as the CUSIP International Numbering System, is another international extension of the CUSIP numbering system. A CINS number consists of nine characters and is used for securities issued in 30 markets outside North America. In this case, the first letter represents the issuing country. For example, E09876AA7 represents an AA credit-rating corporate bond issued in Spain (E is the letter used to identify Spain) and offered in a foreign market.

Examples of CUSIP Numbers

Here are a few examples of actual CUSIPs for companies across various sectors.

CUSIP Numbers for Select Stocks
Apple	037833100
Alphabet	02079K107
Alaska Air Group	011659109
Walmart	931142103

The Bottom Line

A CUSIP number is a nine-digit alphanumeric code that is used to identify securities, such as stocks, bonds, and other financial instruments. The CUSIP (Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures) system was developed in the 1960s as a way to uniquely identify securities and facilitate the settlement of trades.

Each CUSIP number is unique to a specific security, and it is assigned by the CUSIP Service Bureau, which is operated by the American Bankers Association. CUSIP numbers are used by banks, brokerages, and other financial institutions to identify and track securities in their systems, and they are also used to facilitate the clearing and settlement of trades. CUSIP numbers are typically found on the front of a bond certificate, and they can also be found in various databases and other sources of information about securities.