osakekirjaan

Osakekirjaan is a Finnish term that translates to "share certificate" in English. It is a physical document that represents ownership of a certain number of shares in a company. Historically, these certificates were the primary way for individuals to prove their ownership of stock. Each osakekirjaan would contain details such as the company's name, the shareholder's name, the number of shares held, and the share's nominal value.

In modern times, the use of physical osakekirjaan has significantly decreased. The vast majority of share ownership is now recorded electronically in a book-entry system, often managed by a central securities depository. This dematerialization process has made share trading faster, more efficient, and less prone to fraud or loss associated with physical documents. However, for historical or specific legal reasons, some older share certificates may still exist. They served as tangible proof of investment and were transferable through physical endorsement. The transition to electronic records reflects a broader trend in financial markets towards digitalization and increased security.