Depositary Receipt

 A negotiable financial instrument issued by a bank to represent a foreign

company's publicly traded securities. The depositary receipt trades on a local
stock exchange.

 When the depositary bank is in the U.S., the instruments are known as American
Depositary Receipts (ADRs). European banks issue European depositary
receipts, and other banks issue global depositary receipts (GDRs).

What Are Depositary Receipts?

A Depositary receipt (DR) is a type of negotiable (transferable) financial security that is traded on a

local stock exchange but represents a security, usually in the form of equity, that is issued by a
foreign publicly listed company. The DR, which is a physical certificate, allows investors to hold
shares in equity of other countries. One of the most common types of DRs is the American
Depositary Receipt  (ADR), which has been offering companies, investors and traders global
investment opportunities since the 1920s. 

Since then, DRs have spread to other parts of the globe in the form of Global Depositary Receipt 
(GDRs) (the other most common type of DR), European DRs and international DRs ADRs are
typically traded on a U.S. national stock exchange, such as the New Yourk Stock Exchange (NYSE)
or the American Stock Exchange, while GDRs are commonly listed on European stock exchanges
such as the London Stock Exchange. Both ADRs and GDRs are usually denominated in U.S. dollars,
but can also be denominated in euros.

What Does American Depositary Receipt - ADR Mean?

A negotiable certificate issued by a U.S. bank representing a specified number of shares (or one
share) in a foreign stock that is traded on a U.S. exchange. ADRs are denominated in U.S. dollars,
with the underlying security held by a U.S. financial institution overseas. ADRs help to reduce
administration and duty costs that would otherwise be levied on each transaction.

What Does Global Depositary Receipt - GDR Mean?

1. A bank certificate issued in more than one country for shares in a foreign company. The shares are
held by a foreign branch of an international bank. The shares trade as domestic shares, but are
offered for sale globally through the various bank branches. 

2. A financial instrument used by private markets to raise capital denominated in either U.S. dollars or
euros.

What Does International Depository Receipt - IDR Mean?

A negotiable, bank-issued certificate representing ownership of stock securities by an investor outside
the country of origin.

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