SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING GIFT CERTIFICATES OF STOCK

摘要

A system and method for gift certificates of securities, other financial instruments, commodities, or other assets are disclosed. In the case of stock, a purchaser enters gift certificate parameters including company name and denomination, as well as payment information. These parameters, together with the market price of the stock, determine the number of shares (which may be a non-integer number) that are being gifted. A provider generates an identifier, part or all of which may be incorporated into a physical or electronic gift certificate for delivery to a recipient who may claim the stock. A database maintains records of the gift certificates that have been purchased and claimed.

主权项

1. A method for providing a gift of stock in a company from a purchaser to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, from the purchaser, payment information and a gift request comprising the identity of stock in a company, a dollar amount of a gift, and information identifying a recipient; assigning a gift identifier to the gift request using a processor; storing the gift identifier and associated gift request in a data memory; providing notification to the recipient identifying the stock and the dollar amount and the gift identifier; receiving, from the recipient, a request to claim the gift, the claim request including the gift identifier; receiving account information from the recipient; accessing the stored data to identify the associated gift request; purchasing a number of shares of the identified stock as a function of the accessed data and a price per share for the stock; receiving payment for the purchased shares using the payment information received from the purchaser; and crediting the recipient's account with the purchased shares.