An ISIN is often confused with a ticker symbol, which identifies the asset at the exchange level. For example, according to ISIN Organization, IBM common stock is traded on close to 25 trading exchanges and platforms, and its stock has a different ticker symbol depending on where it is traded. However, IBM stock has only one ISIN for each security. The ISIN code identifies the securities, but it is the only common securities identification number that is universally recognized.