aktieboken

Aktieboken, or the share register, is a register kept by a Swedish aktiebolag that records who owns the company’s shares and how many shares each owner holds. It serves as the official record of ownership and is used to determine rights such as participation in general meetings, entitlement to dividends, and voting power. The register typically lists each shareholder’s name or corporate name, address, identification number, the number and class of shares held, and the date of acquisition. It also records changes in ownership, such as transfers, pledges, or other encumbrances affecting ownership or control.

Traditionally, ownership was evidenced by share certificates (aktiebrev), and the aktieboken was kept by the company as the primary record of who held the shares. With increasing dematerialization, many shares are registered electronically with a central registrar or via the company’s own electronic registry, and the aktieboken may be maintained in electronic form or by a professional registrar. Even when shares are dematerialized, the company generally maintains the aktieboken (or an equivalent electronic register) to reflect current ownership and to support corporate actions.

Access and maintenance rules vary by jurisdiction and company type. In practice, the aktieboken is kept by the company or its administrator, while certain information may be available to shareholders and, for public companies, to the public in accordance with applicable law. The Swedish Companies Act and related regulations govern the precise requirements for maintaining the aktieboken, including its location, updating procedures, and who may request extracts.