This is a very common question. To own stock in a brokerage account, you are required under federal law (the Patriot Act) to provide your Social Security number.  

This information is used to verify your identity and prevent the bad guys from gaining access to the stock market.  Every brokerage must adhere to this requirement.  You can learn more at the SEC’s website. 

We also need to get your SSN so that during tax time, we can correctly report any gains, losses, or dividends to the IRS.

We'd like to assure you that your information is safe at Stockpile, and your security is our top priority. As a U.S. financial institution that is regulated by FINRA and the SEC, Stockpile encrypts and protects your personal information, including your SSN.
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