WKN
Wertpapierkennnummer
A six-digit alphanumeric security identifier used in Germany and Austria.
The WKN system was introduced in Germany in the 1950s as a national security identification standard. It consists of six alphanumeric characters without a specific mathematical check digit structure. WKNs are assigned by the German National Numbering Agency and cover all types of securities traded in German markets, including stocks, bonds, warrants, and funds. While ISINs have become the international standard, WKNs remain widely used in German-speaking markets for local trading, settlement, and reporting. Many German financial systems and databases continue to use WKN as a primary identifier alongside ISINs for domestic securities.
Example
840400 (SAP SE) — six-character alphanumeric identifier