Setting the Benchmark for Market Data and Indexes

Who We Are:

Founded at the University of Chicago, CRSP has transformed the world of finance. More than 65 years ago, CRSP developed the first market database that allowed investors to measure historic rates of return for U.S. stocks, broadening the appeal of equity ownership. More than 15 years ago, CRSP launched investable indexes that have become trusted by investors globally, including managers of the world’s largest mutual fund.

Today, CRSP’s research-quality databases set the benchmark for accuracy and transparency, providing leading financial firms, investment professionals, academic institutions, and policymakers in over 35 countries with precise historic data. CRSP Research Data Products also serves as the backbone for the CRSP Market Indexes, a suite of investable, capitalization-weighted stock indexes, which were developed from academic rigor but reflect how investors manage money in the real world.

Our Mission

Empowering market insight and innovation

Our Vision

To be the premier financial market data, benchmark, and analytics provider

Cited in

0 +

published studies

Trusted by

leading financial firms, investors, respected universities, and policymakers

Nearly

years of historical market data

What Sets Us Apart

Academic Origins. Real-World Impact.

Born at the University of Chicago, CRSP’s methodologies are rooted in rigorous academic research and managed for the real-world needs of practitioners and investors. CRSP Data has helped shape the world of finance. Today, it is trusted by leading financial firms, researchers, policymakers, and asset managers who oversee trillions of dollars of fund assets.

Deep Historical Coverage

CRSP’s databases go back a century, to 1925, providing an unparalleled view of U.S. capital markets across economic cycles, innovations, and transformations.

Consistent Identifiers

With proprietary tools like PERMNO® and PERMCO®, CRSP Research Data Products offers stable identifiers that link securities across time, corporate actions, and data types, enabling clean longitudinal research.

Trusted Across Markets

CRSP Research Data Products underpins thousands of peer-reviewed studies, powers financial and economic modeling, and drives index funds representing trillions of dollars in assets under management.

Precision Without Compromise

CRSP Market Indexes are constructed and maintained the way money managers actually invest, reducing turnover and mitigating transaction costs.

CRSP History

CRSP is Established

CRSP is established in March 1960 with an initial grant of $50,000 from Merrill Lynch to research how the returns of common stocks performed over the long term. Professors Lawrence Fisher and James Lorie collaborate on collecting the data for NYSE common stock returns between 1926 and 1960.

1964

CRSP Introduces Historical Indexes Database

CRSP introduces its first historical research indexes database, the CRSP US Indexes Database, which would eventually serve as the foundation for much of the empirical research in finance.

1994

CRSP Releases US ETF & Mutual Fund Database

CRSP launches its US ETF & Mutual Fund Database, the first survivor-bias-free database available on the market and the only mutual fund dataset that tracks both active and delisted funds.

1999

CRSP Partners with WRDS to Make CRSP Data More Accessible

CRSP partners with Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) to allow WRDS to host CRSP databases for academic subscribers, increasing ease of access for researchers through WRDS' leading data analytics and research platform for global institutions.

2005

CRSP Publishes New Market Indexes; Licenses Vanguard Flagship Index Funds

CRSP introduces a methodology that blends academic research with commercial practice, a breakthrough that is quickly validated when Vanguard announces plans to shift 16 U.S. stock and balanced index funds to CRSP benchmarks.

2012

CRSP Launches ESG Indexes

The suite is comprised of three ESG index pairs which provide a unique perspective on the performance of large sustainable companies: CRSP ISS ESG Large Cap Prime, CRSP ISS ESG Large Cap, and CRSP ISS ESG Large Cap Industry Balanced.

2024

CRSP Turns 65!

CRSP celebrates six-and-a-half decades of empowering market insight and innovation as it continues its impact in the financial research and investment communities.

1960

Data Files Completed from Fisher and Lorie Research, Creating the CRSP US Stock Database

The master files that would become the foundation of the CRSP US Stock flagship database are completed.

Within a year of releasing the data, 60 universities begin licensing CRSP data files for research and educational programs.

The database currently offers daily and monthly market data and corporate actions for over 32,000 active and inactive U.S. securities.

1966

CRSP Launches US Treasury Database

CRSP expands its product line with the CRSP US Treasuries Database.

The CRSP US Treasury and Inflation Series is comprised of 1.7 million end-of-day price observations for nearly 7,000 US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, as well as supplemental files, including fixed term indexes, maturity portfolios, discount bonds, term structure, and a CPI file.

1996

CRSP and S&P Global Launch the CRSP/Compustat Merged Database (CCM)

The CRSP/Compustat Database (CCM) provides superior accuracy and time savings for researchers by linking CRSP stock data and Compustat® fundamental data, mapping complex relationships between CRSP and Compustat identifiers over time.

1999

CRSP and Ziman Launch New REIT Data Series

CRSP collaborates with Ziman Center at the Anderson School of Business at UCLA to create the CRSP/Ziman Real Estate Data Series, featuring data for nearly 650 REIT securities.

2011

CRSP Launches Investable Value and Growth Indexes

CRSP Indexes expand to include value and growth style indexes, utilizing a proprietary multi-factor scoring approach to identify investment styles.

2021

CRSP Expands Distribution Network with Snowflake

CRSP announces the availability of its world-class financial and economic data products on Snowflake Marketplace. This integration gives subscribers direct access to CRSP's data via Snowflake's cloud platform, streamlining the data ingestion process.

2025

1960 - CRSP is Established

1964 - Data Files Completed from Fisher and Lorie Research, Creating the CRSP US Stock Database

The master files that would become the foundation of the CRSP US Stock flagship database are completed. Within a year of releasing the data, 60 universities begin licensing CRSP data files for research and educational programs. The database currently offers daily and monthly market data and corporate actions for over 32,000 active and inactive U.S. securities

1966 - CRSP Introduces Historical Indexes Database

CRSP introduces its first historical research indexes database, the CRSP US Indexes Database, which would eventually serve as the foundation for much of the empirical research in finance.

1994 - CRSP Launches US Treasury Database

CRSP expands its product line with the CRSP US Treasuries Database. The CRSP US Treasury and Inflation Series is comprised of 1.7 million end-of-day price observations for nearly 7,000 US Treasury bills, notes, and bonds, as well as supplemental files, including fixed term indexes, maturity portfolios, discount bonds, term structure, and a CPI file.

1996 - CRSP Releases US ETF & Mutual Fund Database

CRSP launches its US ETF & Mutual Fund Database, the first survivor-bias-free database available on the market and the only mutual fund dataset that tracks both active and delisted funds.

1999 - CRSP and S&P Global Launch the CRSP/Compustat Merged Database (CCM)

1999 - CRSP Partners with WRDS to Make CRSP Data More Accessible

CRSP partners with Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) to allow WRDS to host CRSP databases for academic subscribers, increasing ease of access for researchers through WRDS’ leading data analytics and research platform for global institutions.

2005 - CRSP and Ziman Launch New REIT Data Series

CRSP collaborates with Ziman Center at the Anderson School of Business at UCLA to create the CRSP/Ziman Real Estate Data Series, featuring data for nearly 650 REIT securities.

2011 - CRSP Publishes New Market Indexes; Licenses Vanguard Flagship Index Funds

2012 - CRSP Launches Investable Value and Growth Indexes

CRSP Indexes expand to include value and growth style indexes, utilizing a proprietary multi-factor scoring approach to identify investment styles.

2021 - CRSP Launches ESG Indexes

2024 - CRSP Expands Distribution Network with Snowflake

CRSP announces the availability of its world-class financial and economic data products on Snowflake Marketplace. This integration gives subscribers direct access to CRSP’s data via Snowflake’s cloud platform, streamlining the data ingestion process.

2025 - CRSP Turns 65!

CRSP celebrates six-and-a-half decades of empowering market insight and innovation as it continues its impact in the financial research and investment communities.