Exhibit 4.04
                                                                    ------------

      Number                                                      Shares



                                   VERISIGN



INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF               SEE REVERSE FOR STATEMENTS RELATING
THE STATE OF DELAWARE                                    TO RIGHTS, PREFERENCES,
                                             PRIVILEGES AND RESTRICTIONS, IF ANY



      This Certifies that                                      CUSIP 92343E 10 2



      is the owner of


   FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001 PER
                                   SHARE, OF


                                VERISIGN, INC.

     transferable only on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in
person or by duly authorized Attorney upon surrender of this certificate
properly endorsed.  This certificate is not valid until countersigned and
registered by the Transfer Agent and Registrar.

     WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile signatures
of its duly authorized officers.


Dated:



                               [corporate seal]



     /s/ Dana Evan                                       /s/ Stratton Sclavos
     VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION               PRESIDENT AND
     AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER                      CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                                                      



COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
     CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
           TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

BY



               AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

 
     A statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative,
participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series
thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences
and/or rights as established, from time to time, by the Certificate of
Incorporation of the Corporation and by any certificate of designation, the
number of shares constituting each class and series, and the designations
thereof, may be obtained by the holder hereof upon request and without charge at
the principal office of the Corporation.

     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this certificate, shall be construed as through they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

TEN COM - as tenants in common         UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -      Custodian
TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties                    ------         ------
JT TEN  - as joint tenants with right                     (Cust)        (Minor)
          of survivorship and not as                      under Uniform Gifts 
          tenants in common                               to Minors Act 
                                                                       ---------
                                                                        (State)
                                       UNIF TRF MIN ACT  -      Custodian (until
                                                          ------
                                                          (Cust)
                                                          age        ) 
                                                             --------  ---------
                                                                        (Minor)
                                                          under Uniform 
                                                          Transfers to Minors 
                                                          and 
                                                             -------------------
                                                                   (State)

    Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.


     FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ________________________ hereby sell, assign and
transfer unto


PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
    IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

- -----------------------------------------------

- -----------------------------------------------


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                          Shares
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
of the capital stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint

                                                                        Attorney
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.


Dated
     ----------------------


                              X
                               -------------------------------------------------

                              X
                               -------------------------------------------------
                       NOTICE:  THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST
                                CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME(S) AS WRITTEN UPON THE
                                FACE OF THE CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR,
                                WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE
                                WHATEVER.

Signature(s) Guaranteed



By
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARATNEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM),
PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-16.