ETFuri

ETFuri is a proposed standard and registry designed to identify exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with persistent, machine-readable Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs). The goal is to complement existing identifiers such as tickers, ISINs, and CUSIPs by providing a canonical digital resource for each ETF and its metadata, enabling consistent data retrieval across platforms.

The core concept of ETFuri is to assign a unique URI to every ETF and to publish a structured metadata schema that can be accessed programmatically. Essential metadata typically includes the fund name, ticker, ISIN, domicile, inception date, currency, expense ratio, assets under management, fund family, issuer, trading venue, index tracked or replication method, and key risk or diversification attributes. A registry or set of registries, potentially operated by industry consortia or trusted data providers, resolves these URIs to up-to-date metadata and data endpoints.

Architecture and governance are designed to support versioning and interoperability. ETFuri may define a lightweight URI scheme and a standardized metadata model, with data served from open or licensed endpoints. Governance typically involves an industry body to manage scope, updates, licensing, and conflict resolution, along with adherence requirements for data quality and timeliness.

Use cases include data aggregation for research and analytics, risk assessment, portfolio backtesting, regulatory reporting, and streamlined integration across custodians, exchanges, and data vendors. Adoption challenges include achieving broad participation, maintaining data accuracy, and avoiding fragmentation or duplication with existing identifiers.