What is reference data? Uses, Types & Dataset Examples

What is reference data? How can you use it? Discover the various types and examples of reference data sets in this article. Find the best data sources for reference data and buy the necessary datasets on Datarade.ai.

What is Reference Data?

Reference Data is a fundamental asset that is used in credit derivatives to protect debt holders from risky borrowers. It is usually in the form of bonds, treasury notes, or other debt-supporting collaterals stated by borrowers. The purpose of reference data is to assign the risk of default to a third party in order to cushion lenders against the possibility of the borrower defaulting on the debt.
Examples of reference data include country codes, currency codes, industry classifications, and product codes. Reference data is used to provide standardized and consistent values for specific attributes or characteristics. It helps in ensuring data integrity, facilitating data integration, and enabling accurate analysis and reporting. In this page, you’ll find the best data sources for reference data sets.

Data Specialist Lucy
Lucy Kelly
Data Specialist

Best Reference Data Databases & Datasets

Here is Datarade's curated selection of top Reference Data. These trusted databases and datasets offer high-quality, up-to-date information.

Cbonds: Reference stocks data API - Global Coverage, 80K stocks

by Cbonds
Available for 133 countries
80K shares
7 years of historical data
Starts at
$500$450 / month
Free sample preview
10% Datarade discount
15% revenue share
Available Pricing:
Monthly License
Yearly License

Stamdata Bond Reference Data ("stamdata")

Available for 9 countries
45K securities
Pricing available upon request
Pricing available upon request
revenue share
Start icon5.0(1)
Pricing available upon request
Free sample preview

Cbonds: Reference ETF data API - Global Coverage, 8K ETF

by Cbonds
Available for 240 countries
7K ETF funds
6 years of historical data
Starts at
$400$360 / month
Free sample preview
10% Datarade discount
15% revenue share
Start icon4.2(3)
Available Pricing:
Monthly License
Yearly License
Usage-based
Pricing available upon request
Free sample preview
Starts at
$3,000 / purchase
Free sample preview
Pricing available upon request

Reference Data plays a pivotal role in various business applications, offering valuable insights and opportunities across industries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I buy Reference Data?

Data providers and vendors listed on Datarade sell Reference Data products and samples. Popular Reference Data products and datasets available on our platform are Cbonds: Reference stocks data API - Global Coverage, 80K stocks by Cbonds, EDI Derivatives Reference Data (>30 fields covered) by Exchange Data International, and Stamdata Bond Reference Data (“stamdata”) by Stamdata.

How can I get Reference Data?

You can get Reference Data via a range of delivery methods - the right one for you depends on your use case. For example, historical Reference Data is usually available to download in bulk and delivered using an S3 bucket. On the other hand, if your use case is time-critical, you can buy real-time Reference Data APIs, feeds and streams to download the most up-to-date intelligence.

What are similar data types to Reference Data?

Reference Data is similar to Stock Market Data, Alternative Data, ESG Data, Credit Rating Data, and Commodity Data. These data categories are commonly used for Investment Management.

What are the most common use cases for Reference Data?

The top use cases for Reference Data are Investment Management.