Central securities depository (CSD) - Financial definition
Concise definition of the term central securities depository
A central securities depository is an infrastructure that holds, or controls, the holding of physical or dematerialised financial instruments belonging to all, or a large portion of, the investors in a domestic securities market. It effects the centralised transfer of such securities against payment (or free of payment) by entries on its books and records, resulting in transfer and record of ownership of the securities.
Comprehensive definition of the term central securities depository
A CSD's clients are typically financial institutions such as custodian banks and brokers.