TS ISO 10962

TS ISO 10962 is an international terminology and coding standard for classifying securities and related financial instruments using the CFI, the Classification of Financial Instruments code. Its technical focus is to describe the type, structure and core characteristics of financial instruments through a common code system so they can be read consistently across markets and jurisdictions.

In general technical terms, a CFI code is useful for post-trade processing, data matching, reporting and interoperability between systems. It helps distinguish whether a product belongs to an equity-like, debt-like, derivative or similar category, but it does not by itself describe the full economics of the instrument. Its value lies in providing a shared classification language that supports comparison, automation and consistent interpretation across domestic and internationally traded instruments.

What the classification concept is designed to do

The standard’s subject extends beyond classical securities to include innovative financial products that have emerged in different markets. In that sense, the phrase “securities and related financial instruments” points to a broader family of products, not only traditional tradable instruments. The classification approach is built around structural features rather than product names, which makes it easier to align instruments across varied market practices.

This TS ISO 10962 edition is recorded as withdrawn, but its subject remains the codified classification of financial instruments. As a framework, this kind of code system supports cleaner data organization, easier reconciliation of instrument records and a common way to group financial products in market infrastructure.