*Updated: Feb 2* While it still looks like winter across most of Canada, the deals and promotions section is a balmy +17 +18 at the outset of February.
Even though no new deals have launched at the beginning of February, this month is typically a very exciting month across the discount brokerage space. Throughout January, for example, there were 7 offers that went live as well as several contests being promoted by Canadian brokerages. As the RSP deadline (February 29th) draws closer, things are likely to get even more competitive.
A case in point is the entrance into the deals pool by TD Direct Investing. Ahead of the new month, TD Direct Investing revived a tiered commission-free trade offer with as many as 200 commission-free trades being granted to individuals depositing at least $100,000. As one Canada’s largest online brokerages, TD Direct Investing’s entry at this point signals that even the big players are doubling down their efforts into the RSP contribution deadline (February 29th).
Looking more closely at the discount brokerage deals currently being offered, Questrade once again dominates in the number and diversity of offers with 7 offers. Interestingly, 6 out of the 8 promotions from Canadian discount brokerages requiring deposits of less than $10,000 to qualify are from Questrade, indicating their aggressive pursuit of more modest depositors (and likely to be younger investors). In fact, looking at the following graph, it’s clear that Questrade (shown in bright green) is competing with offers above and below the most crowded deposit ranges. Questrade does have offers that apply at the $25,000 deposit level, however these are part of tiered offers, which is why they don’t appear directly on the graph below. That said, Questrade is clearly competing across the promotional board which is not something any other Canadian discount brokerage is currently doing.
Another interesting observation is that the most competitive deposit range appears to be between $20,000 and $50,000 with five discount brokerages (including several bank-owned brokerages) putting forward offers for deposits at these levels.
Finally, while RSP season appears to be quite busy, as shown in the chart above, the deadlines for many of the current discount brokerage deals expire well after the February 29th contribution deadline. We’ll keep an eye out for any new developments and of course, if there are any that we’ve missed, let us know here.
Expired Deals
No news to report here.
Extended Deals
No news to report here.
New Deals
*Updated Feb. 2: Well it didn’t take long for another Canadian discount brokerage to be drawn into the deals and promotions competition. Virtual Brokers has rolled out a new tiered commission-free trading offer that runs from the beginning of February through to the end of March. Unlike previous promo offers from Virtual Brokers, their latest offer includes an entry into a draw for a $500 Apple gift card. This latest move is a direct response, it seems, to their cross town rival Questrade. The tiered offer from Virtual Brokers requires a minimum deposit of $15,000 to qualify for at least 50 commission-free trades. See table below for more information.*
While technically not new for February, the latest offer from TD Direct Investing launched quite close to the beginning of the new month. Their latest offer is a revival of their tiered commission-free trade offer where new account openings may be eligible for 50, 100 or 200 commission-free trades for deposits of $25,000, $50,000 or $100,000+. See the table below for more information.
Discount Brokerage Deals
| 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 HSBC InvestDirect and you could be eligible to receive up to 30 commission-free North American equity trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | n/a | 30 commission-free trades. | 60 days | Winter free trade promotion | March 15, 2016 |
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Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc | $1,000 | $50 commission credit | none | none | none |
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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 – $9,999 B) $10,000 – $24,999 C) $25,000 – $49,999 D) $50,000 -$99,999 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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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, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new qualifying account (registered or margin) with at least A) $1,000; B) $25,000 or C) $50,000 and receive either A) 1 month; B) 2 months or C) 3 months of commission-free trading. Use promo code UNLIMITEDW16 when registering. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | A) $1,000 B) $25,000 C) $50,000 | Commission-free trades | A) 1 month B) 2 months C) 3 months | 3 months unlimited trading | March 4, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new qualifying account (registered or margin) with at least A) $2,000; B) $25,000 or C) $50,000 and receive either A) 1 month; B) 2 months or C) 3 months of commission-free trading. Use promo code RSP2016 when registering. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | A) $2,000 B) $25,000 C) $50,000 | Commission-free trades | A) 1 month B) 2 months C) 3 months | RSP 2016 Promotion | March 1, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new online trading account with Questrade with at least $5,000 and you could be eligible to receive 25 commission-free trades good for use for up to 1 year. Use promo code NEWYEAR2016 when applying to be eligible for this offer. Be sure to read the full terms and conditions for this promotion. | $5,000 | 25 commission-free trades | Jan. 1, 2017 | 25 Commission-free Trade for 1 Year Promotion | February 29, 2016 |
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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 | March 31, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new account with Virtual Brokers with at least A) $15,000; B) $25,000 C) $50,000; D) $100,000 or E) $250,000+ and you may be eligible to receive A) 25; B) 50; C) 100; D) 150 or E) 200 commission-free equity (stock & ETF) trades. In addition, qualifying applicants will also be entered into a draw for a $500 Apple gift card. Use promo code 200APPLEWATCH when signing up to be eligible. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for full details. | A) $15,000 – $24,999 B) $25,000 – $49,999 C) $50,000 – $99,999 D) $100,000 – $249,999 E) $250,000+ | A) 25 commission-free trades B) 50 commission-free trades C) 100 commission-free trades D) 150 commission-free trades E) 200 commission-free trades | 90 days (cash for commissions to be credited back Aug. 2, 2016) | Virtual Brokers RRSP 2016 Free Trade Promo | March 31, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new account (or existing clients can transfer in new assets) at Credential Direct with at least A) $15,000; B) $50,000; C) $150,000; D) $500,000 or E) $1,000,000 and you may be eligible to receive at least A) $75; B) $125; C) $200; D) $500 or E) $1,000. Applicants need to use code CASH2016RSP and fund account in order to qualify for cash back offer. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | A) $15,000 – $49,999 B) $50,000 – $149,999 C) $150,000 – $499,999 D) $500,000 – $999,999 E) $1,000,000+ | A) $75 B) $125 C) $200 D) $500 E) $1,000 | Cash credited to account on Oct. 15, 2016. | Cash Back Offer | March 15, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new National Bank Direct Brokerage account with at least A) $20,000 or B) $100,00 and you may be eligible to receive up to either A) $500 or B) $1,000 in commission credits. Use promo code CashBack2016 when registering for an account to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for additional details. | A) $20,000 – $99,999 B) $100,000+ | A) $500 in commission credit B) $1,000 in commission credit | 90 days | Cash back promo | March 31, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new account at Scotia iTrade with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000 or $250,000+ and you may be eligible to receive up to A) 75; B) 150; C) 300 or D) 500 commission-free trades. Use promo code TRADES-RSP16 when opening account to be eligible. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | A) $25,000 – $49,999 B) $50,000 – $99,999 C) $100,000 – $249,999 D) $250,000+ | A) 75 commission-free trades B) 150 commission-free trades C) 300 commission-free trades D) 500 commission-free trades | 90 days | Free Trade Offer | March 31, 2016 |
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Open and fund a new account at TD Direct Investing with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000 or C) $100,000+ and you may be eligible to receive up to A) 50; B) 100 or C) 200 commission-free trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | A) $25,000 – $49,999 B) $50,000 – $99,999 C) $100,000 | A) 50 commission-free trades B) 100 commission-free trades C) 200 commission-free trades | 60 days | Commission-free Trading Offer | April 15, 2015 |
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Disnat is offering new & existing clients $500 in commission credits which can be used for up to 6 months. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1-866-873-7103 and mention promo code Disnat500. See details link for more info. | $50,000 | $500 commission credit | 6 months | Disnat $500 Commission Credit Promo | March 31, 2016 |
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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 $50,000 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. | $50,000 | You(referrer): $50; Your Friend(referee): $50 | Payout occurs after 45 days (subject to conditions). | BMO InvestorLine Refer-a-Friend | June 30, 2016 |
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Open or fund an eligible account with at least $100,000 and make at least one commission generating trade and you may be eligible to receive a $500 gift card for the Apple Store. Use promo code APPLEWATCH when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions carefully. | $100,000 | $500 Apple Store gift card | Gift card will be sent within 30 days of client meeting eligibility requirements. | Apple Watch Promo | March 31, 2016 |
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Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine, and fund it with at least A) $100,000 or B) $250,000 in net new assets and you may be eligible to receive either A) $200 cash back and 100 commission-free equity trades or B) $600 cash back and 100 commission-free equity trades. Use promo code WinterSD600 when signing up to be eligible. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for more details on the offer. | A) $100,000 – $249,999 B) $250,000+ | A) $200 cash back + 100 commission-free equity trades. B) $600 cash back + 100 commission-free equity trades. | 60 days for equity trades. Cash back will be deposited the week of Oct. 10, 2016. Commission rebates will be paid week of Oct. 10, 2016. | Winter 2016 Promotion | March 1, 2016 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: Feb. 2, 2016 17:30 PT |
Transfer Fee Deals
| Company | Brief Description | Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount | Minimum Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Transfer $15,000 or more to a new Virtual Brokers account from another brokerage and Virtual Brokers may reimburse up to $150 in transfer fees. See terms and conditions for more information. | $150 | $15,000 | Virtual Brokers 2016 RRSP Promo | March 31, 2016 |
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Transfer $15,000 or more to RBC Direct Investing and they will pay up to $135 in transfer fees | $135 | $15,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate Details | none |
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Transfer $25,000 or more from another brokerage and Credential Direct will cover up to $150 in transfer fees. Use promo code SWITCHME when signing up to qualify for the transfer promotion. | $150 | $25,000 | Credential Direct Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Qtrade Investor will reimburse your transfer fee up to $150 when transferring a balance of $10,000 or more. For reimbursement, please mail or fax a copy of your statement from the transferring institution that shows the transfer charge to Qtrade Investor at 604.484.2627 and indicate your Qtrade Investor account number. | $150 | $25,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. | $150 | $25,000 | Transfer Fee Promo | 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 read terms and conditions for full details. | $150 | $25,000 | Commission-free trade promo | April 15, 2016 |
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Transfer at least $25,000 or more in new assets to Scotia iTrade when opening a new account and Scotia iTrade may reimburse transfer fees up to $150. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | $150 | $25,000 | Free trade offer | March 31, 2016 |
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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 info (1-800-567-3343) | none |
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Transfer $25,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees | $135 | $25,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Disnat 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 Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1-866-873-7103 and mention promo code Disnat500. See details link for more info. | $150 | $50,000 | Disnat $500 Commission Credit Promo | March 31, 2016 |
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Transfer $15,000 or more to Scotia iTrade from another Canadian brokerage, and iTrade may pay up to $150 in transfer fees. | $150 | $15,000 | 500 Free Trade or $500 Cash Back Offer | December 31, 2015 |