# FIGI Key: `finance.securities.figi` Financial Instrument Global Identifier. 12-character alphanumeric code assigned by Bloomberg and the Object Management Group. Format: 2 consonants (no vowels) + 'G' + 8 alphanumeric characters (no vowels) + 1 check digit. Used globally for securities identification in trading and clearing systems. Page: Samples: `BBG000BLNQ16`, `BBG000B9XRY4`, `BBG000BVPV84`, `BBG000BPH459`, `BBG000GZQ728` ## Background ### Origin In 2009, Bloomberg released Bloomberg's Open Symbology, known as BSYM, a system for identifying financial instruments across asset classes.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) The identifier was originally called the Bloomberg Global Identifier, or BBGID, before being renamed the Financial Instrument Global Identifier (FIGI).[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) Version 1.0 of the Object Management Group's Financial Instrument Global Identifier specification is dated December 2015.[[2]](https://www.omg.org/spec/FIGI/) The Object Management Group's specification describes FIGI as a permanent, semantically meaningless code key with associated identifying metadata.[[2]](https://www.omg.org/spec/FIGI/) The Brazilian Association of Technical Standards (ABNT) accepted FIGI in July 2020.[[3]](https://www.openfigi.com/insights/all/2021/9/15/after-lengthy-fight-bloombergs-figi-recognized-as-official-us-data-standard) In September 2021, Bloomberg and Accredited Standards Committee X9 announced the publication of an American National Standard titled ASC X9.145-2021.[[3]](https://www.openfigi.com/insights/all/2021/9/15/after-lengthy-fight-bloombergs-figi-recognized-as-official-us-data-standard) OpenFIGI describes the X9.145 FIGI standard as the first X9 data standard incorporating the MIT Open Source License.[[3]](https://www.openfigi.com/insights/all/2021/9/15/after-lengthy-fight-bloombergs-figi-recognized-as-official-us-data-standard) Bloomberg L.P. is the Registration Authority and a Certified Provider of the FIGI standard.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) In December 2020, the Object Management Group accepted Kaiko as a second certified provider of FIGI.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) A FIGI is a 12-character alphanumeric code.[[4]](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) The first two characters of a FIGI designate the Certified Provider that issued the code.[[4]](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) The third character of a FIGI is always G, to designate it as a Global Identifier.[[4]](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) Characters 4 to 11 of a FIGI are randomly assigned values.[[4]](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) The twelfth character of a FIGI is a check digit calculated with the Modulus 10 Double Add Double technique.[[4]](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) FIGI excludes English vowels from its characters.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) The two-letter prefixes BS, BM, GG, GB, GH, KY and VG are excluded from FIGI, to reduce the chance of a FIGI matching an ISIN.[[1]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) ### Use OpenFIGI states that when an instrument ceases to exist its FIGI is retired and never reused.[[4]](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) OpenFIGI describes FIGI as suitable for use as a primary key in databases because it is unique for each record.[[5]](https://openfigi.com/about/features) For equities, a FIGI is assigned at venue, country and global share class level.[[5]](https://openfigi.com/about/features) The OpenFIGI API returns a compositeFIGI and a shareClassFIGI alongside the figi for an instrument.[[6]](https://www.openfigi.com/api/documentation) In one OpenFIGI documentation example, the figi BBG000NHN466 has the compositeFIGI BBG000NHN304 and the shareClassFIGI BBG001S5S399.[[6]](https://www.openfigi.com/api/documentation) The OpenFIGI API is free and open to the public, with lower rate limits for requests made without an API key.[[6]](https://www.openfigi.com/api/documentation) ### Where you'll meet it The SEC's Form 13F Data Sets include a FIGI column in the INFOTABLE table, next to the CUSIP column.[[7]](https://www.sec.gov/files/form_13f_readme.pdf) In the Form 13F Data Sets, the FIGI field is a VARCHAR2(12) that may be null, while the CUSIP field may not.[[7]](https://www.sec.gov/files/form_13f_readme.pdf) Plan a fallback join on CUSIP for 13F holdings rather than relying on FIGI alone. (Meridian's view) ## Sources 1. [Financial Instrument Global Identifier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Financial_Instrument_Global_Identifier) — secondary source 2. [About the Financial Instrument Global Identifier® Specification Version 1.3](https://www.omg.org/spec/FIGI/) — catalogue entry 3. [After lengthy fight, Bloomberg's FIGI recognized as official US data standard \| OpenFIGI](https://www.openfigi.com/insights/all/2021/9/15/after-lengthy-fight-bloombergs-figi-recognized-as-official-us-data-standard) — organisation 4. [Overview \| OpenFIGI](https://www.openfigi.com/about/figi) — organisation 5. [Features \| OpenFIGI](https://openfigi.com/about/features) — organisation 6. [Documentation \| OpenFIGI](https://www.openfigi.com/api/documentation) — documentation 7. [Form 13F Data Sets](https://www.sec.gov/files/form_13f_readme.pdf) — dataset