CSD

CSD is an acronym used in different domains to refer to distinct concepts, with the intended meaning usually clear from context. The term is most commonly associated with financial market infrastructure and with academic or organizational units.

In finance and securities markets, a Central Securities Depository (CSD) is a legal entity that holds financial instruments in book-entry form for safekeeping and facilitates post-trade processing. CSDs manage ownership records, process transfers between participants, and provide services such as safekeeping, corporate actions, and settlement support. They aim to reduce settlement risk and improve efficiency by enabling electronic delivery-versus-payment settlement and standardized asset servicing. Prominent examples include national CSDs and, at a global level, the entities operated by large market infrastructures such as DTC/DTCC in the United States, as well as Euroclear and Clearstream in Europe. CSDs operate under national and international regulatory frameworks and typically cooperate with payment systems to achieve settlement finality.

In academia and many institutions, CSD commonly stands for Computer Science Department, the academic unit responsible for computer science programs, research, and related administration. A CSD typically offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, hosts research laboratories, and collaborates with industry on projects and internships.

Other uses of CSD exist, depending on the organization or country. For example, some universities or research institutes use CSD to denote centers such as a Center for Sustainable Development or Center for Social Development. Because meanings vary, context is essential to determine which CSD is being referenced.