ISDA Focus: Identifiers and OTC Taxonomies

As part of the ongoing effort to improve the OTC derivatives infrastructure, ISDA developed an implementation plan in June 2011 to define a standardized taxonomy (classification) for OTC derivatives and develop Unique Product Identifiers (UPI).

The ISDA OTC Taxonomies and UPI will support regulatory mandates to increase transparency through public and regulatory reporting. In addition to the coordination of the market discussions that led to the proposed taxonomies for the different asset classes, ISDA put a governance model in place to oversee the development of the taxonomies and ensure proper support going forward.

The final taxonomies will be included in the FpML data standard to facilitate the reporting process. Coordination with other international standards such as ISO to align with the ISDA taxonomies is ongoing.

How and Why Pension Funds Use Derivatives

With over $58 trillion in assets globally, pension fund managers are major participants in financial markets and play a vital role in helping to provide post-retirement incomes for plan employees. Meeting such an important goal requires careful consideration of investment...