[Toddsterpatriot]

It is a private bank whose shares are owned by the largest commercial banks in the US.

What do the shares get them?

[Fingolfin]

What do the shares get them?

The ability to elect members to their regional Federal Reserve board of directors. The ability of those members to set national monetary policy. The ability of those members to keep a steady stream of imaginary Fed created debt-money flowing to their banks.