VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB) will find that Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB) concentrate on Data APIs, Calendar, and Central Bank Watcher workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) leans into Data Visualizations, and Housing & Construction, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. European Central Bank (ECB) stands out with News, Yield Curves, and GDP that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) vs European Central Bank (ECB)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) adds Data Visualizations, and Housing & Construction coverage that European Central Bank (ECB) skips.
- European Central Bank (ECB) includes News, Yield Curves, GDP, and Unemployment Rates categories that BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) omits.
- BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) highlights: SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided., Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps., and Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available..
- European Central Bank (ECB) is known for: Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax., Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers., and Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type..
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements)
data.bis.org
Official BIS portal for global monetary/financial statistics with an SDMX REST API and bulk downloads. Covers international banking (locational/consolidated), debt securities, credit to the non‑financial sector, global liquidity, exchange‑traded & OTC derivatives, Triennial FX/IR derivatives turnover, property prices, consumer prices, effective/bilateral exchange rates, and central bank statistics (policy rates, total assets). Features include a release calendar (with RSS), shareable query links, bookmarks, custom charts/tables, and export to Excel/CSV/PDF. API adheres to the SDMX REST v2.1 spec; formats include JSON, XML, and CSV.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided.
- Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps.
- Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available.
- Portal exports: Excel/CSV for selected time series (up to 4,500 series per export); Tables & Dashboards can be exported as PDF.
- Code snippets generator (Python/R/Matlab) to fetch selected series via the SDMX API; shareable URLs preserve filters/settings.
European Central Bank (ECB)
ecb.europa.eu
The official portal of the European Central Bank, including its Data Portal. Provides free access to monetary policy information, publications, and structured datasets. Data is available through a public SDMX 2.1 REST API with CSV and SDMX-JSON formats, bulk downloads, and chart-level exports. Key scheduled releases include €STR at 08:00 CET, FX reference rates around 16:00 CET, and daily euro area yield curves at 12:00 CET.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax.
- Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers.
- Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type.
- Bulk dataset downloads available directly from dataset pages, including CSV and SDMX 2.1 exports.
- €STR (Euro Short-Term Rate) published daily at 08:00 CET, with revisions at 09:00 CET if errors exceed 2 basis points.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements)
Distinct strengths include:
- SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided.
- Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps.
- Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available.
- Portal exports: Excel/CSV for selected time series (up to 4,500 series per export); Tables & Dashboards can be exported as PDF.
European Central Bank (ECB)
Distinct strengths include:
- Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax.
- Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers.
- Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type.
- Bulk dataset downloads available directly from dataset pages, including CSV and SDMX 2.1 exports.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) | European Central Bank (ECB) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates Unique: Data Visualizations, Housing & Construction | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates Unique: News, Yield Curves, GDP, Unemployment Rates |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Currencies, Options, Futures, Commodities, Real Estate, Other | Bonds, Currencies, Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Inflation Rates, and Interest Rates workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB) require subscriptions?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB)?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and European Central Bank (ECB) prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) differentiates itself with SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided., Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps., and Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available., whereas European Central Bank (ECB) stands out for Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax., Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers., and Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type..
Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.