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What Is a CUSIP Number?

By Motley Fool StaffUpdated Apr 17, 2025 at 12:19 AM

Key Points

  • CUSIP numbers uniquely identify North American securities, facilitating faster trading.
  • CUSIP numbers, started in 1964 due to trade clearance delays, are integral to U.S. securities.
  • CUSIP identifiers include a base code for issue identification and digits for security type.

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