New LSEG data reveals ownership behind one-third of sanctions exposure

January 20, 2026

LSEG Risk Intelligence, a risk and compliance data provider, has launched a new instrument-level dataset revealing how ownership and control relationships are driving a significant share of sanctions-linked securities exposure across global markets.

The company today announced the release of the Sanctioned Securities Data File, developed in partnership with BIGTXN, which is designed to help financial institutions identify securities that are directly or indirectly linked to sanctioned entities. The dataset connects sanctions designations to real financial instruments, offering a more granular view of exposure than traditional screening approaches.

Initial analysis of the dataset shows that while most sanctions-linked instruments are tied to explicit legal designations, around one-third are connected through ownership or control structures. This means that even if an issuing company is not itself sanctioned, its securities may still fall within scope if it is owned or controlled by a sanctioned parent entity.

The data also indicates that sanctions exposure remains an ongoing operational issue. Approximately six in ten sanctions-linked instruments identified through the platform remain active, underlining that firms continue to face exposure across trading, investment and post-trade activities.

At an instrument level, the impact of sanctions is concentrated in areas linked to capital formation and corporate restructuring.

The Sanctioned Securities Data File maps sanctions designations to entities listed on the LSEG World-Check platform and is designed to integrate directly into firms’ existing compliance, risk and trading workflows.

LSEG Risk Intelligence head of strategy Chris Moyser said, “Sanctions regimes today extend far beyond simple lists of designated names. Financial institutions need a systematic way to understand how those designations translate into real exposure across securities, ownership structures and corporate actions. The Sanctioned Securities Data File is designed to bring that clarity – helping firms identify risk that is often difficult to detect using traditional screening approaches.”