About the Association

The Association of Eurasian Central Securities Depositories (AECSD) unites 16 Central Securities Depositories in 15 countries of the Eurasia region. The Association's mission is to provide a platform for sharing ideas for development and enhancement of depository operations, creating a common depository space, and integrating the CSDs – the AECSD’s members into the global securities settlement system.

The foundation for the later establishment of the AECSD was laid in 2001, when its future members gathered in Tashkent to take part in the first international seminar, "Integration of Depository Systems as the Basis for Efficient Interaction on the International Securities Market". At the event, the securities market participants were able for the first time to discuss freely the matters relating to the interaction among the CSDs. The delegates noted the need to establish cooperation between organizations, unite their efforts to improve and harmonize legislation on the securities markets, and find efficient means of cooperation between stock markets in general.

Later on, such seminars were held on an annual basis. The 2002 conference was held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the 2003 event took place in Baku, Azerbaijan. During those seminars representatives of CSDs shared their experiences and opinions on relevant issues. Every year the scale of such events increased significantly bringing together a growing number of CSDs, securities market participants, national regulators, and international organizations. The International Conference on Issues of CSDs Cooperation in the CIS Countries held in 2004 in Moscow marked a milestone in the history: the conference participants made a decision to establish the Association.

On 22 December 2004, the I (Constituent) Conference of the Association of Eurasian Central Securities Depositories took place in Moscow, Russia. The main goal of the conference was to sign the Resolution on the Establishment of the Association of Eurasian Central Securities Depositories, as well as to set its priorities and draft a work plan.

Today, the AECSD is a dynamically developing professional association that brings together experience and achievements of market infrastructure institutions and securities market participants of different counties. The AECSD takes an active part in initiatives of the World Forum of CSDs (WFC), sharing experience and exchanging opinions, coordinating industry initiatives, and participating in a dialogue with regulators and other organizations all over the world.