stock certificates

A stock certificate is a legal document that proves ownership in a company. It shows how many shares of the company's stock you own and includes details like your name, the number of shares, and the company's information. While physical certificates are less common today, they historically served as proof of ownership and could be transferred or sold. Nowadays, many stocks are held electronically in digital accounts, but the certificate remains a key symbol of ownership rights, such as voting and dividends. Essentially, it’s a formal acknowledgment that you hold a portion of the company.