Wikipedia
Clearstream is a post-trade services provider owned by Deutsche Börse AG. It provides settlement and custody as well as other related services for securities across all asset classes. It is one of two European International Central Securities Depositories ( Euroclear being the other).
Clearstream operates securities settlement systems based in both Luxembourg and Germany, which allow for the holding and transfer of securities.
Clearstream operates its International Central Securities Depository (ICSD) from Luxembourg. It is also a joint partner in the Luxembourgish Central Securities Depository (CSD), LuxCSD, together with the Central Bank of Luxembourg. In Germany, Clearstream operates the German CSD, Clearstream Banking AG. Clearstream has links to over 50 domestic markets worldwide, and also issues and safekeeps Eurobonds.
In 2014, the value of assets under custody on behalf of customers averaged 12.2 trillion euros; furthermore, Clearstream processed 43.65 million ICSD and 82.68 million CSD settlement transactions.
Clearstream has around 2,500 customers in 110 countries. Clearstream accepts central banks and AML-regulated credit institutions (such as regulated banks) as customers. Clearstream does not accept natural persons as customers and no account is opened in the name of a natural person. Clearstream has therefore been described as a "bank for banks" ("Plumbers and Visionaries, a history of settlement and custody in Europe", Peter Norman).