Yes, a Wyoming Statutory Trust (WST) can absolutely own stock in companies located in other states.

​In fact, one of the primary reasons people form Wyoming Statutory Trusts—and why they are often used for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or mutual funds—is their immense flexibility in holding and managing diverse assets across state lines.

​1. Statutory Authority

​Under the Wyoming Statutory Trust Act (W.S. § 17-23-101 et seq.), a WST is a separate legal entity. This means it has the legal capacity to:

  • ​Enter into contracts.
  • ​Sue and be sued.
  • ​Acquire, own, and hold title to real and personal property, which includes corporate stock and LLC interests in any jurisdiction.

​2. The Power of the “Governing Instrument”

​The most powerful feature of a WST is the Governing Instrument (similar to an LLC’s Operating Agreement).

  • ​Investment Freedom: Unlike traditional “common law” trusts that may be restricted by “Legal Lists” of approved investments, a WST allows the settlor to grant the trustee the power to invest in virtually anything—including stocks of private or public corporations in California, New York, Delaware, or even internationally.
  • ​Ownership Rights: Wyoming law (specifically W.S. § 4-10-816) explicitly allows trustees to exercise the rights of an absolute owner over stocks and securities, such as voting, participating in mergers, and exercising options.

​3. Privacy and Asset Protection

​Using a Wyoming Statutory Trust to own out-of-state stock is a common strategy for:

  • ​Privacy: The trust can hold the stock, keeping the name of the individual owner off the public cap table or state filings of the company being owned.
  • ​Asset Protection: Assets held within a WST are generally protected from the personal creditors of the beneficial owners.

​Key Considerations

  • ​Foreign Qualification: While the Wyoming trust can own the stock, if the trust itself begins “transacting business” in another state (like managing a physical factory or office owned by that company), it may need to register as a “Foreign Trust” in that specific state.
  • ​Taxation: Even though the trust is based in Wyoming (which has no state income tax), the trust may still owe taxes in the state where the company is located if that company issues dividends or pass-through income (like an out-of-state S-Corp or LLC).

Summary: A Wyoming Statutory Trust is a “chameleon” entity that can function like a corporation for ownership purposes but offers the flexibility of a trust. Owning stock in a Texas, Delaware, or Florida company is a standard use case for these entities.