[TacticalCoder]

> How are you holding those bonds?

Can't bonds like these just be hold in custody at the bank, like stocks? They're property title no? Should my bank in the EU go bust, AFAIK, my stocks are mine. Isn't that the case for short-term US treasuries?

As for physical certificates, didn't the entire world move to digital certificates about 20 years ago? I remember my family having those old physical certificates where you'd cut some pieces of the paper out of them and then you'd go at the bank to get your dividends. And there wasn't much security: you stole these and they were literally yours, with nobody who could verify who they belonged to. These physical "bearer" certificates have been the plot of a great many movies but I think it's now (mostly?) a thing of the past?

[gadders]

My point is, if your bank goes bust, how long will it take you to get your stocks or shares back?

Supposing whatever caused your bank/broker/custodian to go bust was also causing the value of your bonds/stocks/whatever to drop and you wanted to sell asap. How fast do you think you could do that?