The authors of the article have analyzed the understanding of ownership as a central entity and the main regulator of economic relations within a joint-stock company. It has been stated that ownership is associated with such categories as «property» and «right», which raises a considerable number of methodological issues originated by the formation of joint-stock companies’ ownership and shareholders rights in relation to the ownership. Particular attention has been paid to the fact that ownership in such a company as an economic category performs a certain function, which consists in the formation of a considerable amount of capital on the most profitable for all persons involved in this process, in order to its maximum profitable use. It has been noted that if we talk about the ownership of a joint-stock company, then it is formed by the issue of shares, and accordingly, the company, which is interested in attracting significant funds, conducts open placement, the proceeds of which are accumulated to use in its business activities. The authors have provided arguments in favor of other positive aspects of stock ownership that make it universal and capable of application wherever there is the need to accumulate significant amounts of funds and limit the scope of liability. It has been concluded that ownership in a joint-stock company as an economic category performs a certain function, which makes it not only an economic, but also a legal category. This function is to generate a large amount of capital in the most profitable terms for all persons involved in this process, for its maximum profitable use. The category of «stock ownership» is used when referring to the legal regime of ownership in a joint-stock company — the ownership rights of the shareholders for the shares and the ownership rights of the company for the property, which in their implementation intersect and affect one another. It has been supposed that the most appropriate model, to which stock ownership tends, is confidential property, ideology and practices of trusts. However, it is quite clear that its application in Ukraine in the present state of legal regulation is hardly worth supporting.