June is here, and for many Canadian DIY investors, their attention is fixed on the Raptors’ amazing journey to the NBA finals. As we cross into a new month in the deals and promotions section, however, it appears that there aren’t going to be nearly as many slam dunks in here to start off the month as there will be on the court.
Even so, the deals section has started to see a very interesting uptick in activity in what is usually a pretty quiet season for Canadian discount brokerages. While there were no new deals that launched at the beginning of June, there were a pair of intriguing offers that crossed our deal radar in May.
The first, which we noted in an earlier edition of the Weekly Roundup, was a new cash back offer from RBC Direct Investing. This offer was not one that appeared to be advertised as widely as previous offers from one of the largest players in the space – which is a curious maneuver that signals this being more a targeted test than a full-throttle push. Importantly, it was also for a very limited time, as this offer is set to officially expire in early June.
The other interesting deal that surfaced in May was from another bank-owned brokerage – CIBC Investor’s Edge. This was a commission-free trading offer which, like the offer from RBC Direct Investing, was also quietly rolled out and for a very limited time. The latest promotion from CIBC Investor’s Edge is unique in that it is not a tiered promotion, and the offer is for 100 commission-free trades. It is also not a fee rebate offer, so there is no waiting for reimbursement for a trade commission. These two elements make it an especially compelling offer coming from a bank-owned brokerage where this kind of structure is uncommon.
So, the good news for DIY investors shopping around – especially those doing some searching for offers at the beginning of June – is that there are a couple of extra offers still on the board this month.
June will be an exciting month to keep watching the deals action because there are several offers set to expire in the first week. It’ll be worth tuning in between Raptors games to see what unfolds next.
Expired Deals
HSBC InvestDirect’s cash back offer is now officially “on vacation.” We’ve noticed promotional activity from HSBC InvestDirect start to pick up over the past two years so though their current offer has expired, there still may be other promotional offers coming later on in the year.
Also, with summer just around the corner, it was time to do a little spring cleaning. The Moneytalks offer in conjunction with Desjardins Online Brokerage no longer appears to be advertised/active and as a result we are removing it from its place in the other deals/promotions section.
Extended Deals
*Nothing new to report here yet*
New Deals
Though technically not new, it is something that we are adding into the deals section for transfer offers. Although not advertised, BMO InvestorLine does have a tiered transfer fee rebate offer available, with a maximum coverage of $200. To access it or find out additional information about qualifying deposits and rebate rates, contact customer service.
Also updated, RBC Direct Investing’s transfer fee coverage amount has moved up to $200.
Discount Brokerage Deals
- Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
- Referral Promotions
- Transfer Fee Promotions
- Contests & Other Offers
- Digital Advice + Roboadvisor Promotions
Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Minimum Deposit Amount | Commission/Cash Offer/Promotion Type | Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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A Sparx Trading exclusive offer! Use the promo code “Sparx Trading” when signing up for a new account with Jitneytrade and receive access to their preferred pricing package. | n/a | Discounted Commission Rates | none | For more details click here | none |
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Open a new qualifying account with CIBC Investor’s Edge and you may be eligible to receive 100 commission-free trades. Eligible trades include equity, ETF and options trades (per contract charges still apply). Commission-free trades are good for up to 90 days after account opening date. Use promo code EDGE28 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | n/a | 100 commission-free trades | 90 days | CIBC Investor’s Edge Free Trade Promotion | July 31, 2019 |
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Open and fund a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) with at least $1,000 and you may be eligible to receive $88 in commission credits (up to 17 commission-free trades). Use promo code SPARX88 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions carefully. | $1,000 | $88 commission credit | 60 days | Access this offer by clicking here: $88 commission-credit offer . For full terms and conditions, click here. | none |
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Open and fund a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) with at least $1,000 and you may be eligible to receive 5 commission-free trades. Use promo code 5FREETRADES when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions carefully. | $1,000 | 5 commission-free trades | 60 days | 5 commission-free trade offer | December 31, 2019 |
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Desjardins Online Brokerage is offering new clients 1% of assets transferred into the new account in the form of commission credits (to a maximum value of $1,000). Minimum qualifying deposit is $10,000. To qualify, individuals will have to call 1-866-873-7103 and mention promo code DisnatTransfer or email: [email protected]. See details link for more info. | $10,000 | 1% of assets transferred in the form of commission-credits (max credits: $1,000) | 6 months | Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo | none |
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Open and fund a new eligible RBC Direct Investing account with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000; D) $250,000 or E) $500,000+ and you may be eligible to receive a cash back reward of A) $100; B) $150; C) $200; D) $500 or E) $1,000. Use promo code CASHB when registering. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | A) $25,000 B) $50,000 C) $100,000 D) $250,000 E) $500,000+ | A) $100 B) $150 C) $200 D) $500 E) $1,000 | Cash back will be deposited by December 16, 2019 | RBC Cash Back Offer | June 7, 2019 |
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Open and fund a new qualifying account with at least $25,000 and you may qualify for one month of unlimited commission-free trades and up to one month free of an advanced data package. Use promo code ADVANTAGE14 when opening a new account. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | $25,000 | commission-free trades for 1 month + 1 month of advanced data. | 1 month | Active Trader Program | December 31, 2019 |
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Open a new qualifying account or fund an existing qualifying account at BMO InvestorLine with new assets worth at least A) $50,000; B) $100,000; C) $500,000 or D) $1M+ and you may be eligible to a cash back reward of up to A) $100; B) $300; C) $900 or D) $1600. Use promo code SPARXCASH when registering to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions. | A) $50,000 B) $100,000 C) $500,000 D) $1M+ | A) $100 B) $300 C) $900 D) $1,600 | Cash back will be deposited the week of December 16, 2019. | BMO InvestorLine Spring 2019 Campaign | June 3, 2019 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: June 1, 2019 22:00 PT |
Referral Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Minimum Deposit Amount | Incentive Structure | Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Deposit | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Refer a friend to Questrade and when they open an account you receive $25 cash back and they receive either A) $25; B) $50; C) $75; D) $100; or E) $250 depending on the amount deposited amount. Enter code: 476104302388759 during account sign up to qualify. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for eligibility and additional bonus payment structure and minimum balance requirements. | A) $1,000 B) $10,000 C) $25,000 D) $50,000 E) $100,000+ | $25 cash back (for referrer per referral; $50 bonus cash back for every 3rd referral) For referred individuals: A) $25 cash back B) $50 cash back C) $75 cash back D) $100 cash back E) $250 cash back | Cash deposited into Questrade billing account within 7 days after funding period ends (90 days) | Refer a friend terms and conditions Code Number: 476104302388759 | none |
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If you (an existing Qtrade Investor client) refer a new client to Qtrade Investor and they open an account with at least $1,000 the referrer and the referee may both be eligible to receive $25 cash. See terms and conditions for full details. | $1,000 | $25 cash back (for both referrer and referee) | Cash deposited at the end of the month in which referee’s account funded | Refer A Friend to Qtrade Investor | none |
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If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a Scotia iTRADE account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of either cash or free trades. You have to use the referral form to pass along your info as well as your friend/family members’ contact info in order to qualify. There are lots of details/conditions to this deal so be sure to read the details link. | A) $10,000 B) $50,000+ | A) You(referrer): $50 or 10 free trades; Your “Friend”: $50 or 10 free trades (max total value:$99.90) B) You(referrer): $100 cash or 50 free trades; Your “Friend”: $100 cash or 50 free trades (max total value: $499.50) | 60 days | Refer A Friend to Scotia iTrade | tbd |
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If you (an existing BMO InvestorLine client) refer a new client to BMO InvestorLine and they open an account with at least $5,000 the referrer and the referee may both be eligible to receive $50 cash. To qualify the referee must use the email of the referrer that is linked to their BMO InvestorLine account. See terms and conditions for full details. | $5,000 | You(referrer): $50; Your Friend(referee): $50 | Payout occurs 45 days after minimum 90 day holding period (subject to conditions). | BMO InvestorLine Refer-a-Friend | January 2, 2020 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: June. 1, 2019 22:00 PT |
Transfer Fee Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount | Minimum Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. | $150 | no minimum required | Transfer Fee Promo | June 30, 2019 |
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Transfer $15,000 or more to RBC Direct Investing and they will pay up to $135 in transfer fees. | $200 | $15,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate Details | none |
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Transfer $15,000 or more into a new HSBC InvestDirect account and you may be eligible to have up to $152.55 in transfer fees covered. | $152.55 | $15,000 | Confirmed via email contact with HSBC InvestDirect Rep. Contact client service for more information. | none |
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Transfer $15,000 or more to Qtrade Investor from another brokerage and Qtrade Investor may cover up to $150 in transfer fees. See terms and conditions for more details. | $150 | $15,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Transfer $20,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees. | $135 | $20,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Transfer at least $25,000 or more in new assets to TD Direct Investing when opening a new account and you may qualify to have transfer fees reimbursed up to $150. Be sure to contact TD Direct Investing for further details. | $150 | $25,000 | Contact client service for more information (1-800-465-5463). | none |
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Transfer $25,000 or more into a CIBC Investor’s Edge account and they will reimburse up to $135 in brokerage transfer fees. Clients must call customer service to request rebate after transfer made. | $135 | $25,000 | Confirmed with reps. Contact client service for more information (1-800-567-3343). | none |
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Desjardins Online Brokerage is offering up to $150 to cover the cost of transfer fees from another institution. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Desjardins Online Brokerage account. You’ll have to call 1-866-873-7103 and mention promo code DisnatTransfer. See details link for more info. | $150 | $50,000 | Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo | none |
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Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine or fund a qualifying existing account and you may be eligible to have transfer fees covered up to $200. Contact client service for more details. | $200 | Contact client service for more information | Contact client service for more information (1-888-776-6886) | none |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: June 1, 2019 22:00 PT |
Other Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Minimum Deposit Amount Required | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Desjardins Online Brokerage is offering $50 in commission credits for new Disnat Classic clients depositing at least $1,000. See terms and conditions for full details. | $1,000 | Broker@ge 18-30 Promotion | none |
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Scotiabank StartRight customers can receive 10 commission-free trades when investing $1,000 or more in a new Scotia iTrade account. Trades are good for use for up to 1 year from the date the account is funded. Use promo code SRPE15 when applying (in English) or SRPF15 when applying in French. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for full details. | $1,000 | StartRight Free Trade offer | none |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: June 1, 2019 22:00 PT |
Digital Advice + Roboadvisor Promotions
| Robo-advisor / Digital advisor | Offer Type | Offer Description | Min. Deposit | Reward / Promotion | Promo Code | Expiry Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Discounted Management | Open and fund a new Questrade Portfolio IQ account with a deposit of at least $1,000 and the first month of management will be free. For more information on Portfolio IQ, click the product link. | $1,000 | 1st month no management fees | KDKFNBBC | None | Questrade Portfolio IQ Promo Offer |
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Cash Back | Open and fund a new or existing SmartFolio account with at least $1,000 and you could receive 0.5% cash back up to $1000. Use promo code PROMO1000 when opening a new account. See terms and conditions for full details. This offer can be combined with the refer-a-friend promotion. | $1,000 | 0.5% cash back to a maximum of $1000. | PROMO1000 | January 2, 2020 | SmartFolio Cash Back Promo |
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Discounted Management | Open a new account with BMO SmartFolio and receive one year of management of up to $15,000 free. See offer terms and conditions for more details. | $1,000 | 1 year no management fees | STSF | April 30, 2019 | SmartFolio New Account Promotion |
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Cash Back – Referral | BMO SmartFolio clients will receive $50 cash back for every friend or family member who opens and funds a new SmartFolio account. Friends and family referred to SmartFolio will receive $50 cash back for opening and funding an account, plus automatic enrollment into SmartFolio’s mass offer in market at the time. See offer terms and conditions for more details. | $1,000 | $50 cash back (referrer) $50 cash back (referee) | Unique link generated from SmartFolio required. | None | SmartFolio Website |
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Transfer Fee Coverage | Transfer at least $25,000 into Virtual Wealth when opening a new account and you may be eligible to have up to $150 in transfer fees covered by Virtual Wealth. | $25,000 | up to $150 in transfer fees covered | None | None | Contact customer service directly for more information. |
| Last Updated: June 1, 2019 22:00PT |