Trust in every interaction with the Verifiable Legal Entity Identifier

Global vLEI offers a way of verifying digital identities and handling compliance in a more efficient manner.

Why use the verifiable Legal Entity Identifier?

Reduce compliance costs

Streamline KYC/AML processes with automated verification and eliminate manual compliance workflows.

Accelerate operations

Enable instant entity verification across global markets with 24/7 availability and real-time processing.

Minimize risk exposure

Built-in authentication prevents fraud through cryptographic verification tied to authoritative legal entity data.

vLEI is a cryptographically secure version of the LEI that enables delegated authority

The vLEI (Verifiable Legal Entity Identifier) is the digital evolution of traditional entity identification. It enables automated validation of organizational identities and individual authority through cryptographically secure credentials.

Key features:

  • Instant identity verification without manual processes
  • Authority delegation for individual representatives
  • Global interoperability across digital platforms

Building on over 2.7 million LEIs and managed by GLEIF, vLEI delivers instant, automated entity verification in a globally trusted framework for secure, compliant business.

Why partner with Global vLEI?

Building on NordLEI’s proven track record

176,000+ LEIs issued
Best LEI issuer award 2023
10+ years of digital identity

Advancing innovation with Global vLEI

Europe’s first vLEI issuer
Dedicated solely to vLEI
EBA pilot with major banks

The vLEI creates a global ecosystem of trust where authority flows from GLEIF through QVIs to organizations

The vLEI system creates a hierarchical trust framework where each level validates and enables the next, ensuring global interoperability and security.

Trust architecture:

  • GLEIF serves as the authoritative root of trust
  • QVIs validate and issue organizational credentials
  • Organizations delegate authority to individuals
  • End-users benefit from secure, verified identities

This distributed approach eliminates single points of failure while maintaining global standards and regulatory compliance.

GLEIF
Root of trust
Qualified vLEI issuers
Validate and issue credentials
Organizations
Receive vLEI credentials
Individuals
Delegated authority holders

The three core use cases for vLEI are digital signing, authentication and permissioning

Document Execution

Digital signing

Cryptographic signing of contracts, reports and invoices by legal entities or authorized representatives

Credential Verification

Authentication

Cryptographic validation of vLEI credentials and digital signatures

Access Control

Permissioning

Authorization verification for system access and action permissions

Digital signing with vLEI creates legally binding signatures

Cryptographic document signing

vLEI creates mathematically verifiable digital signatures that establish entity identity and document integrity using public key cryptography.

These signatures are legally equivalent to handwritten signatures with superior security and auditability.

  • Cryptographically secure signatures with legal authority
  • Tamper-evident document integrity protection
  • Complete audit trail with time-stamped signatures
  • Global recognition compliant with eIDAS and digital signature laws

Syndicated loan documentation

Corporate & Institutional Banking

Syndicated loans involve multiple lenders collaborating to finance a single borrower, often across jurisdictions. Traditional processes require extensive manual verification of entity identities, authorized signatories, and document authenticity across all participating institutions.

vLEI transforms this complex process by enabling cryptographically secure document signing with verifiable authority. Each lender can instantly validate that loan documents are signed by authorized representatives with proper legal standing.

  • Automates entity verification across lending syndicate
  • Establishes tamper-proof audit trail for compliance
  • Accelerates document execution and onboarding
  • Ensures regulatory compliance across jurisdictions
Zero
Paper documents
100%
Digital audit trail
Automated
Verification process
Global
Jurisdiction support

Permissioning with vLEI enables verified authorization systems

  • Role-based access control with cryptographic verification
  • Real-time authority validation and delegation
  • Granular permission management with audit trails
  • Cross-platform interoperability with standardized protocols

Cryptographic access control

vLEI enables secure authorization verification by cryptographically validating individual roles, permissions, and delegation levels within organizational hierarchies.

These verifiable credentials ensure only authorized representatives can access systems and execute actions on behalf of their entities.

Cross-border payment verification

International Banking & Payments

Financial institutions are piloting the use of vLEIs to modernize international payment verification. By leveraging verifiable digital credentials issued through the GLEIF-governed vLEI ecosystem, banks can authenticate both legal entities and authorized representatives in real-time.

This ensures compliance with global regulations such as AML, GDPR, and PSD2, while reducing reliance on manual checks and vulnerable static identifiers.

  • Prevents impersonation and fraud in payments
  • Automated compliance with AML, GDPR, and PSD2
  • Reduces manual verification processes
  • Real-time authentication across jurisdictions

Verification process

Entity presents vLEI credential for payment authorization
System verifies digital signature against the vLEI registry
Representative authorization is verified for payment execution
Payment is executed with verified audit trail and regulatory compliance

Authentication with vLEI delivers instant cryptographic validation

Cryptographic validation

vLEI credentials use cryptographic signatures to ensure authenticity and integrity, providing instant verification without manual processes.

These mathematical proofs eliminate human error and establish tamper-evident validation at scale.

  • Instant cryptographic validation of credential authenticity
  • Tamper-evident signatures ensure data integrity
  • Automated verification reduces processing time and costs
  • Global interoperability across platforms and jurisdictions

Automated regulatory reporting

Regulatory Compliance & Reporting

vLEI credentials have been tested to automate regulatory filings for frameworks such as EBA Pillar 3. Authorized officials used digitally signed, role‑bound credentials (ECRs) to submit data that was instantly verifiable, removing the need for manual validation and ensuring traceability.

Regulators could cryptographically verify the authenticity of submissions and the authority of signatories without manual checks, dramatically reducing processing times and audit risks.

  • Cuts compliance review time and cost
  • Ensures verified representatives sign filings
  • Reduces human error and audit risk
  • Proven in pilot projects with regulators

Verification impact

100%
Automated validation
Zero
Manual checks
24/7
Availability
Instant
Verification speed

The story behind the vLEI : From regulatory response to digital innovation

2008
Financial crisis response
Global financial crisis exposes critical need for entity transparency and accountability in financial markets, revealing gaps in entity identification systems.
2014
GLEIF establishment
Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation created under G20 mandate to implement and maintain the global LEI system for standardized entity identification.
2020
vLEI initiative launch
GLEIF announces verifiable LEI initiative to digitize entity identification with cryptographically secure credentials and individual authority delegation.
2022
First vLEI credentials
Initial vLEI credentials issued, marking the beginning of the transition from static identifiers to dynamic, verifiable digital credentials.
2024
Commercial availability
Global vLEI becomes the first European qualified vLEI issuer, making verifiable LEI credentials commercially available to organizations worldwide.

LEI vs vLEI feature comparison

Feature
Traditional LEI
Verifiable LEI
Legal entity ID
Global
Role verification
Automated
Instant
Interoperable

Ready to get involved with vLEI?

Join leading institutions exploring verifiable legal entity identifiers for secure digital transactions and streamlined compliance.