A global depository receipt (GDR and sometimes spelled depositary) is a general name for a depositary receipt where a certificate issued by a depository bank, which purchases shares of foreign companies, creates a security on a local exchange backed by those shares. They are the global equivalent of the original American depositary receipts (ADR) on which they are based. GDRs represent ownership of an underlying number of shares of a foreign company and are commonly used to invest in companies from developing or emerging markets by investors in developed markets.

Prices of global depositary receipt are based on the values of related shares, but they are traded and settled independently of the underlying share. Typically, 1 GDR is equal to 10 underlying shares, but any ratio can be used. It is a negotiable instrument which is denominated in some freely convertible currency. GDRs enable a company, the issuer, to access investors in capital markets outside of its home country.

Several international banks issue GDRs, such as JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, and The Bank of New York Mellon. GDRs are often listed in the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, Luxembourg Stock Exchange, and the London Stock Exchange, where they are traded on the International Order Book (IOB).