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@greyknight33 @NBS No, you're not renting them. Renting would imply that they're temporarily your property, which isn't the case.

Unless you directly register shares in your own name at the issuer's transfer agent, Cede & Co. (the DTC) owns the shares. They have a contract with the broker, and the broker has a contract with you (to proxy your vote and pay you dividends).

Another way to think about it, if they "steal" your shares, they haven't legally stolen them; they've violated a contract.