This document discusses depository receipts, which are negotiable financial instruments that allow foreign companies to have their shares traded on domestic stock exchanges. There are three main types: global depository receipts (GDRs), American depository receipts (ADRs), and international depository receipts (IDRs). GDRs are issued and traded internationally, while ADRs represent shares of a foreign company traded on US exchanges. ADRs can be sponsored directly by the foreign issuer or unsponsored in response to investor demand. They are classified by level depending on costs and disclosure requirements, from Level I with the least regulations to Level III allowing capital raising. Overall, depository receipts provide benefits to both investors and issu