Anteilsurkunden

Anteilsurkunde is the term used for a certificate that evidences ownership of a share or equity stake in a company or other organized collective, such as a corporation, cooperative, or partnership. The document functions as tangible proof of ownership and may indicate the holder’s rights attached to the share, such as voting rights, dividend entitlements, or participation in profits.

Historically, Anteilsurkunden were commonly issued as physical papers that named the issuer, the holder, the number of shares, the nominal value, and the class or type of shares. In many jurisdictions today, ownership is increasingly recorded electronically in a share or security register and/or in a centralized depository system, while paper certificates may still exist as a legacy or optional instrument. The exact form and availability depend on the legal framework of the country and the company’s statutes.

Transfer of ownership varies with the type of certificate. For bearer (Inhaber) certificates, transfer typically occurs by delivery of the certificate and endorsement. For registered certificates, transfer is accomplished by creating an entry in the company’s share register or by formal assignment, often requiring the consent of the company and adherence to statutory and contractual procedures. In dematerialized systems, the transfer is conducted through the appropriate records or book-entry systems rather than physical handover.

Content typically found on an Anteilsurkunde includes the issuer’s name, certificate number, holder’s name or designation, number of shares, class, nominal value, issue date, and signatures of authorized officers. While increasingly replaced by electronic records, Anteilsurkunden remain a notable historical and legal instrument proving ownership and transfer of equity interests.