A six-letter code (ISO 10962) that classifies a financial instrument by type and main features: category, group and four attributes.

What does a CFI code starting with ES mean?

E is the equities category and S the group of common or ordinary shares. The four letters after ES describe the share further, as defined in ISO 10962.

Why does the decoder not explain letters 3 to 6?

Their values are defined per group in the ISO 10962 standard, which is sold by ISO. The decoder names the category and group and links to the standard for the attributes.

What does X mean in a CFI code?

Not applicable or not known. An attribute that does not apply to the instrument, or that the numbering agency does not know, is written X.

Which version of ISO 10962 does the decoder use?

ISO 10962:2021, from the CFI file published by the maintenance agency. Codes assigned under the 2001 or 2015 versions can use letters that were later changed.

Who assigns the CFI code of a security?

The national numbering agency that assigns the ISIN, at the same time. You can find it in the reference data of the security.

CFI Code Decoder (ISO 10962)

Paste a CFI code to see its category and group, the first two of its six letters, with a short explanation of each. The names come from the ISO 10962:2021 file of the CFI maintenance agency. The last four letters are attributes whose values are defined per group in the standard itself, available from iso.org.

The check runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded, stored or logged.

CFI code

Try:

How a CFI code is built

A CFI code (Classification of Financial Instruments, ISO 10962) has six letters. The first gives the category, such as equities or debt instruments; the second the group within it, such as common shares or bonds. The last four are attributes whose meaning depends on the group, for example how a share votes or how a bond pays interest; X in an attribute means it does not apply or is not given.

Position	Example (ESVUFR)	Meaning
1, category	`E`	Equities
2, group	`S`	Common/ordinary shares
3 to 6, attributes	`VUFR`	Four attributes of the group, defined in ISO 10962

Where CFI codes appear

National numbering agencies assign a CFI code together with the ISIN. In MT securities messages it is in field 12C of the financial instrument attributes, for example :12C::CLAS//ESVUFR in an MT541; in ISO 20022 it is ClssfctnTp/ClssfctnFinInstrm. Regulators also use it in instrument reference data, for example under MiFIR in the EU.

All 14 CFI categories and their groups

The first two letters of every CFI code, with what each group covers. The four attribute letters that follow are defined per group in ISO 10962.

E Equities

Shares and other instruments that give part ownership of a company or a pool of assets.

ES Common/ordinary sharesOrdinary shares, usually with a vote and a share of the dividends.
EP Preferred/preference sharesShares whose dividends and claims come before those of ordinary shares.
EC Common/ordinary convertible sharesOrdinary shares that the holder can convert into other securities.
EF Preferred/preference convertible sharesPreference shares that the holder can convert into other securities, usually ordinary shares.
EL Limited partnership unitsUnits of a limited partnership.
ED Depositary receipts on equitiesReceipts issued in one market that stand for shares held in another, such as ADRs and GDRs.
EY Structured instruments (participation)Structured products that follow the performance of an underlying asset without capital protection.
EM Others (miscellaneous)Equities that fit none of the other equity groups.

C CIVs

Collective investment vehicles: funds that pool the money of many investors.

CI Standard (vanilla) investment funds/mutual fundsOrdinary investment funds and mutual funds.
CH Hedge fundsFunds with flexible strategies, such as leverage and short selling.
CB Real estate investment trust (REITs)Real estate investment trusts.
CE Exchange traded funds (ETFs)Funds whose units trade on an exchange.
CS Pension fundsFunds that hold assets for pensions.
CF Funds of fundsFunds that invest in other funds.
CP Private equity fundsFunds that invest in companies that are not listed.
CM Others (miscellaneous)Investment vehicles that fit none of the other fund groups.

D Debt instruments

Instruments under which the issuer owes money to the holder.

DB BondsBonds: debt with set interest and repayment terms.
DC Convertible bondsBonds that can be converted into shares.
DW Bonds with warrants attachedBonds issued with warrants to buy other securities.
DT Medium-term notesNotes issued under a medium-term note programme.
DY Money market instrumentsShort-term debt such as commercial paper and treasury bills.
DS Structured instruments (capital protection)Structured debt that protects some or all of the capital.
DE Structured instruments (without capital protection)Structured debt that does not protect the capital.
DG Mortgage-backed securitiesDebt backed by a pool of mortgages.
DA Asset-backed securitiesDebt backed by a pool of other assets, such as loans or receivables.
DN Municipal bondsDebt issued by local governments and public bodies.
DD Depositary receipts on debt instrumentsReceipts that stand for debt instruments held in another market.
DM Others (miscellaneous)Debt instruments that fit none of the other debt groups.

R Entitlement (rights)

Rights that let the holder subscribe to or receive assets on set terms.

RA Allotment (bonus) rightsRights to receive new securities free of charge, such as bonus shares.
RS Subscription rightsRights to subscribe to new securities, usually in a rights issue.
RP Purchase rightsRights to buy existing securities.
RW WarrantsWarrants: the right to buy or sell an asset at a set price within a set period.
RF Mini-future certificates, constant leverage certificatesLeverage certificates such as mini-futures and constant leverage certificates.
RD Depositary receipts on entitlementsReceipts that stand for rights held in another market.
RM Others (miscellaneous)Rights that fit none of the other groups.

O Listed options

Options traded on an exchange.

OC Call optionsListed options to buy the underlying.
OP Put optionsListed options to sell the underlying.
OM Others (miscellaneous)Listed options that fit neither call nor put.

F Futures

Futures traded on an exchange.

FF Financial futuresFutures on financial underlyings such as indices, rates, currencies or shares.
FC Commodities futuresFutures on commodities such as energy, metals or agricultural products.

S Swaps

Swaps: agreements to exchange cash flows.

SR RatesSwaps on interest rates.
ST CommoditiesSwaps on commodities.
SE EquitySwaps on shares, indices or baskets of shares.
SC CreditCredit swaps, such as credit default swaps.
SF Foreign exchangeSwaps on currencies.
SM Others (miscellaneous)Swaps that fit none of the other swap groups.

H Non-listed and complex listed options

Options traded over the counter and listed options that do not fit the listed options category.

HR RatesOptions on interest rates, such as caps, floors and swaptions.
HT CommoditiesOptions on commodities.
HE EquityOptions on shares, indices or baskets of shares.
HC CreditOptions on credit.
HF Foreign exchangeOptions on currencies.
HM Others (miscellaneous)Options that fit none of the other groups.

I Spot

Spot contracts, settled at once at the market price.

IF Foreign exchangeSpot foreign exchange.
IT CommoditiesSpot commodities.

J Forwards

Forwards: contracts traded off exchange for delivery at a future date.

JE EquityForwards on shares, indices or baskets of shares.
JF Foreign exchangeForwards on currencies.
JC CreditForwards on credit.
JR RatesForwards on interest rates, such as forward rate agreements.
JT CommoditiesForwards on commodities.

K Strategies

Strategies: two or more derivatives traded together as one.

KR RatesStrategies on interest rates.
KT CommoditiesStrategies on commodities.
KE EquityStrategies on equities.
KC CreditStrategies on credit.
KF Foreign exchangeStrategies on currencies.
KY Mixed assetsStrategies that combine different asset classes.
KM Others (miscellaneous)Strategies that fit none of the other groups.

L Financing

Financing: lending of cash or securities against collateral.

LL Loan-leaseLoans and leases.
LR Repurchase agreementsRepurchase agreements (repos).
LS Securities lendingSecurities lending.

T Referential instruments

Reference values used to price or settle other instruments, rather than instruments in their own right.

TC CurrenciesCurrencies used as a reference.
TT CommoditiesCommodities used as a reference.
TR Interest ratesInterest rates used as a reference.
TI IndicesIndices used as a reference.
TB BasketsBaskets used as a reference.
TD Stock dividendsStock dividends used as a reference.
TM Others (miscellaneous)Reference values that fit none of the other groups.

M Others (miscellaneous)

Instruments that fit none of the other categories.

MC Combined instrumentsPackages that combine instruments of different categories.
MM Other assets (miscellaneous)Other assets.

Questions

What is a CFI code?: A six-letter code (ISO 10962) that classifies a financial instrument by type and main features: category, group and four attributes.
What does a CFI code starting with ES mean?: E is the equities category and S the group of common or ordinary shares. The four letters after ES describe the share further, as defined in ISO 10962.
Why does the decoder not explain letters 3 to 6?: Their values are defined per group in the ISO 10962 standard, which is sold by ISO. The decoder names the category and group and links to the standard for the attributes.
What does X mean in a CFI code?: Not applicable or not known. An attribute that does not apply to the instrument, or that the numbering agency does not know, is written X.
Which version of ISO 10962 does the decoder use?: ISO 10962:2021, from the CFI file published by the maintenance agency. Codes assigned under the 2001 or 2015 versions can use letters that were later changed.
Who assigns the CFI code of a security?: The national numbering agency that assigns the ISIN, at the same time. You can find it in the reference data of the security.

More free tools

Category and group names from ISO 10962:2021 as published by SIX Group, the CFI maintenance agency (file cfi-20210507-current.xlsx); the explanations are ZagTrader's own. The attribute definitions are in the standard, available from iso.org. ZagTrader is not affiliated with ISO or SIX Group.