The CFI (Classification of Financial Instruments) is developed in accordance with the ISO standard 10962.
It is designed to enable computer systems to classify securities and financial instruments automatically.
The CFI is assigned to the instruments when they are assigned an ISIN code. In additión the FISH code is also assigned to them. The CFI assigned by the ANCV will always be considered the oficial CFI.
Recently, ISO has reviewed the standard resulting in the publication of a new version of standar (ISO 10962: 2015). The purpose of this review is to adapt this code to the evolution of financial markets and to achieve greater utility for its users.
Unlike the ISIN code, the CFI Code assigned to an instrument may be changed over the lifespan of the instrument, depending on whether there is any modification of the characteristics that are considered to initially the instrument in one way or another.
The CFI consists of six alphabetical characters and it distinguishes between securities and financial instruments on the basis of their characteristics:
- The first character indicates the category to which the instrument belongs: Equities, Collective Investment Vehicles, Debt instruments, Entitlements (Rights) or Warrants, Listen Options, Futures, Swaps, Non-listed and complex listed options, Spots, Forwards, Strategies, Financing, Referential instruments and Others (Miscellaneous).
- The second character refers to specific groups within each category.
- The other four characters refer to each group´s main features.
For more information, contact the Spanish National Numbering Agency.