Which identifier is primarily used in the United States and Canada for securities identification?

• A. ISIN
• B. CUSIP
• C. SEDOL
• D. GICS

Answer: (B)

In the United States and Canada, the primary identifier used for securities is the CUSIP number. This nine-character code is assigned to each specific security to uniquely identify it for trading, clearing, and settlement within these markets. While an ISIN is an international standard that can represent a security across borders, it often incorporates the domestic CUSIP for the North American portion, so CUSIP remains the main domestic identifier. SEDOL is used mainly in the UK and some other markets, not as the primary identifier in the US/Canada, and GICS is a classification system for industries, not a security identifier.