What does it mean that securities are registered in the street name?

Answer 1

Securities are registered in the investor's name when paper certificates are physically held by an investor. To trade such certificates nowadays, one has to first deposit them into a brokerage account where they loose their physical status and become only electronic data. This electronic record of ownership administered by a brokerage house is called registration in the street name. Trading of securities in the street name involves no physical delivery of securities. All brokers have to do on client's behalf is to exchange electronic information between themselves and transfer agents.