ISIN
A 12-character international code that uniquely identifies every security.
In short
As of 8 October 2026The ISIN (International Securities Identification Number) is a 12-character code that uniquely identifies every security worldwide. It starts with a country code, such as DE for Germany, followed by nine characters and a check digit. SAP's ISIN is DE0007164600. In Germany it has largely replaced the older WKN.
ISIN stands for International Securities Identification Number. It has 12 characters: two letters for the country, nine characters for the security and a check digit. German shares start with DE, Irish ETFs with IE, US shares with US.
The ISIN is valid worldwide and has largely replaced the older German WKN. When you place an order, searching by ISIN is the safest way to find the right security. That way you won't mix up companies with similar names or ETFs with nearly identical titles.
Example: the ISIN of SAP is DE0007164600. For an ETF, the accumulating and distributing versions on the same index have different ISINs, so check carefully before you buy.
As of 8 October 2026 · Educational content, not investment or tax advice.