Securities may be represented by a certificate or, more typically, they may be "non-certificated", that is in electronic (dematerialized) or "book entry only" form. Certificates may be bearer, meaning they entitle the holder to rights under the security merely by holding the security, or registered, meaning they entitle the holder to rights only if they appear on a security register maintained by the issuer or an intermediary. They include shares of corporate capital stock or mutual funds, bonds issued by corporations or governmental agencies, stock options or other options, limited partnership units, and various other formal investment instruments that are negotiable and fungible.
securities may be represented by a certificate or more typically they may be "non-certificated" that is in electronic (dematerialized) or "book entry only" form certificates may be bearer meaning they entitle the holder to rights under the security merely by holding the security or registered meaning they entitle the holder to rights only if they appear on a security register maintained by the issuer or an intermediary they include shares of corporate capital stock or mutual funds bonds issued by corporations or governmental agencies stock options or other options limited partnership units and various other formal investment instruments that are negotiable and fungible