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GLEIF Invites Feedback from LEI Stakeholders on the Preview of its Golden Copy and Delta Files by 30 April 2018

The Golden Copy Files, in addition to the GLEIF Concatenated Files, provide a distinct means to access, and explore the information included within, the LEI data pool


Author: Stephan Wolf

  • Date: 2018-02-19
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One of the key responsibilities of the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) is to ensure access to the full global Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) repository, free of charge to users, via an open data license. The GLEIF Concatenated Files offer a way to access the LEI data pool. They include LEIs and related LEI reference data published by the LEI issuing organizations. The reference data provides the information on a legal entity identifiable with an LEI. Any interested party can also access and search the complete LEI data pool using the web-based LEI search tool developed by GLEIF.

In February 2018, GLEIF additionally started publishing the GLEIF Golden Copy Files for public preview. The Golden Copy Files provide a distinct means to access, and explore the information included within, the Global LEI Index. The Global LEI Index contains historical and current LEI records, including related reference data, in one authoritative, central repository. The Global LEI Index is the only global online source that offers open, standardized and high quality legal entity reference data.

GLEIF issues three sets of Golden Copy Files daily. With each updated version of the Golden Copy Files, GLEIF also makes available four delta files. (To download the files, refer to the ‘related links’ below.)

The delta files identify only newly issued LEIs and / or revisions to an LEI’s reference data historically reported in a Golden Copy File published either:

  • Eight hours earlier.
  • 24 hours earlier.
  • Seven days earlier.
  • One month (31 days) earlier (first monthly delta file available March 11th, 2018).

This blog post describes the information made available within the GLEIF Golden Copy Files and delta files. Links to dedicated GLEIF website pages that detail concepts mentioned in this blog post and give access to related technical documentation are included in the ‘related links’ below.

The GLEIF Golden Copy Files and delta files will ensure easy access to the latest information on new and updated LEIs

The Golden Copy Files, together with the delta files, are of particular interest to LEI data users who seek to obtain frequently updated (three times daily) information on LEIs and related reference data in a ready-to-use format that ensures:

  • Data does not contain technical duplicates.
  • All LEIs ever published in a GLEIF Golden Copy File version, as well as all new LEIs published by the LEI issuers since the previous release of a Golden Copy File, are included in the file.
  • Enriched reference data provides deeper insight into the global market place.

The delta files will allow data users to quickly identify new or updated LEIs and reference data without the need to download the files containing the complete LEI population.

GLEIF invites feedback on the preview of the Golden Copy and delta files

GLEIF invites LEI data users to email feedback on the Golden Copy Files to leidata@gleif.org by 30 April 2018. The files will evolve to ensure alignment with user requirements.

Difference between the GLEIF Concatenated Files and the GLEIF Golden Copy Files

**Detailed information is available within the ‘GLEIF Golden Copy and Delta Files Specification and User Manual’** For detailed information about the GLEIF Golden Copy Files and delta files, including how to download, use and interpret the files, please read the 'GLEIF Golden Copy and Delta Files Specification and User Manual' (see ‘related links’).
GLEIF Concatenated Files GLEIF Golden Copy Files
Source The individual files, published daily by the LEI issuing organizations.

The LEI issuers may upload updated files to GLEIF up to ten times daily.

The GLEIF Concatenated Files include the content of the latest updated files made available by the LEI issuers before GLEIF performs the concatenation once daily.
Stand-alone Golden Copy database maintained by GLEIF.

GLEIF updates the database up to ten times daily based on latest files including LEIs and related reference data uploaded by the LEI issuers to GLEIF.

With the updates of the database, GLEIF performs the following actions:
  • New LEIs are added.
  • Revisions to reference data for a specific LEI are updated.
Content Historical and current LEI records including related reference data based on the relevant Common Data File (CDF) format as published by the LEI issuers.

With the creation of the Concatenated Files, GLEIF does not modify any of the original source files provided by the LEI issuers.
Historical and current LEI records including related reference data based on the relevant CDF format. GLEIF does not modify the original reference data provided by LEI issuers.

Additional reference data (see below) derived from the GLEIF Golden Copy database is provided.
Technical duplicates possible:
The same LEI is listed by two LEI issuers in the event that a registrant transfers its LEI from one issuer to another.
  • The sending LEI issuer sets the registration status to PENDING_ARCHIVAL.
  • The receiving LEI issuer then publishes the LEI record to be transferred with the correct registration status (e.g. ISSUED).
  • In a next step, the sending LEI issuer removes the LEI record from its publication.
Between the second and third step, i.e. during a short period of time (a few business days), both LEI records are published in parallel by the sending LEI issuer and the receiving LEI issuer. In this event, the same LEI is published twice with the relevant Concatenated Files.
No technical duplicates:
In the event that the same LEI is listed twice in a Concatenated File during the period when it is transferred from one LEI issuer to another (see column to the left for details), GLEIF identifies this situation and decides which of the two records will be published in the Golden Copy Files.

As a result, the Golden Copy Files, which contain Level 1 data on who is who, list each LEI only once.
Individual LEI records may be missing:
In exceptional cases and as a result of technical glitches, on some days the files published by an LEI issuer may not contain all LEIs managed by this issuer. Consequently, relevant LEI records will be missing from the Concatenated Files published on that day.
Complete LEI records:
The Golden Copy Files always contain all LEIs ever published in a GLEIF Golden Copy File version including related reference data as well as all new LEIs published by the LEI issuers since the previous release of a Golden Copy File.
Publication frequency GLEIF publishes one set of updated Concatenated Files daily. GLEIF makes available three sets of updated Golden Copy Files daily (02:00 UTC, 10:00 UTC, 18:00 UTC).
Reporting formats GLEIF currently publishes four versions of the Concatenated Files based on the CDF format applicable, respectively, for the reporting of Level 1 data on who is who or Level 2 data on who owns whom:
  • Level 1 LEI-CDF Version 2.1 Concatenated File (authoritative source)
  • Level 1 LEI-CDF Version 1.0 Concatenated File (legacy file)
  • Level 2 Relationship Record (RR) CDF Concatenated File
  • Level 2 Reporting Exceptions Concatenated File
GLEIF publishes three versions of the Golden Copy Files based on the relevant CDF format:
  • Level 1 LEI-CDF Version 2.1 Golden Copy File
  • Level 2 Relationship Record (RR) CDF Golden Copy File
  • Level 2 Reporting Exceptions Golden Copy File
File formats XML as well as CSV and JSON for Level 1 data based on the LEI-CDF version 2.1 format, accessible through GLEIF’s LEI search tool. XML, CSV and JSON.
Reference data No additional reference data:
Each LEI connects to reference data, i.e. the information on a legal entity identifiable with an LEI. The Concatenated Files only contain the reference data defined with the applicable CDF format.
Additional reference data – geo coding:
In addition to the reference data defined with the applicable CDF format, the Golden Copy Files include coordinates (longitude, latitude) and normalized address strings for the legal address and headquarters address of an LEI record.
Delta files Not available for Concatenated Files. Available for Golden Copy Files.

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About the author:

Stephan Wolf was the CEO of the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF) (2014 - 2024). Since March 2024, he has led the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB) of the Digital Standards Initiative, the global platform for digital trade standards alignment, adoption, and engagement. Before he was appointed as Chair, he had been serving as Vice-Chair of the IAB since 2023. In the same year, he was elected to the Board of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Germany.

Between January 2017 and June 2020, Mr. Wolf was Co-convener of the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 68 FinTech Technical Advisory Group (ISO TC 68 FinTech TAG). In January 2017, Mr. Wolf was named one of the Top 100 Leaders in Identity by One World Identity. He has extensive experience in establishing data operations and global implementation strategies. He has led the advancement of key business and product development strategies throughout his career. Mr. Wolf co-founded IS Innovative Software GmbH in 1989 and served first as its managing director. He was later named spokesman of the executive board of its successor, IS.Teledata AG. This company ultimately became part of Interactive Data Corporation, where Mr. Wolf held the role of CTO. Mr. Wolf holds a university degree in business administration from J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main.


Tags for this article:
Common Data File Formats, Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), GLEIF Concatenated Files, GLEIF Golden Copy Files and Delta Files, Global LEI Index, Level 1 / Business Card Data (Who is Who), Level 2 / Relationship Data (Who Owns Whom), Standards