Tag: CIBC Investor’s Edge

CIBC Investor’s Edge

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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – April 7, 2017

In the same week that the electric vehicle maker Tesla became the most valuable US automaker, a marijuana ETF launched and the world inched closer to war. Nevertheless, stock markets continued to price in the myriad of opportunities and risks to enable capital to flow into fueling the world of tomorrow (assuming of course the world is still here, which markets suggest is the case). For online brokerages and DIY investors alike, it continues to be an interesting time to be in the markets with stories that are finally getting investors excited and a little afraid.

This week’s roundup looks at the latest update to the deals section with the first few days of the new month providing an early look at how the market is shaping up for promotions. From there, we look at another popular discount brokerage and the many stories they were involved in as they transform themselves to capitalize on brave new trading reality. As usual, there’s a healthy dose of investor chatter from Twitter and the forums as well as a new feature of the weekly roundup – a look ahead at articles coming to the SparxTrading.com blog.

Deal Dance

There’s a classic saying for investors trying to time the markets: buy when it snows and sell when it goes. Of course, depending on where you may be in the country the timing of that ‘advice’ can vary widely.

For DIY investors, however, history has shown that when it comes to deals & promotions, snow might be a decent indicator of when to go shopping for a bargain for opening an online trading account.

Yet again this year, Canadian discount brokerages have stepped back from offering up promotions now that the RRSP season is behind us. Dropping from a high of 35 offers last month to 24 deals to kick off April, the promotional race has cooled off heading into middle of spring.

With another four deals set to expire through the month of April, the deal cull is not quite finished. That said, the news for DIY investors isn’t all grim. There are already whispers some more offers are coming and the odds are quite good that marketing teams are not about to take the spring or summer off.

The sole online brokerage offering a ‘new’ promotion to start the month is BMO InvestorLine, whose cash back or commission free trade offer is likely to spark the interest of investors and brokerage competitors alike.

Despite this cyclical phenomenon, there are indicators suggesting positive investor sentiment and a few stories that are genuinely exciting to investors (such as the proposed legalization of marijuana and renewed interest in IPOs). So, while the past two or three years have not had a robust set of trader friendly stories heading into the summer season, this year things appear to be ‘different’.

Thus, competitive brokerages may seize upon this opportunity to shift gears on a typically slow season to take advantage of the uptick in investor sentiment.

For DIY investors looking to open an online trading account, there are still lots of deals for those in a hurry to open an account and the prospect of some interesting offers on the horizon for those with a bit more patience. Stay tuned.

Spotlight lands on Interactive Brokers

As many west coast readers can attest to, when it rains it pours. For Interactive Brokers, it has been one of those moments where lots of things are happening all at the same time. In this section, we run through a week filled with analyst downgrades, impressive account growth, news appearances and the launch of a new feature for Canadian investors.

Earlier in the week Interactive Brokers announced that they would be winding down the market making segment of their business – an operation that has struggled to be profitable – in a move that signals just how challenging active traders have found the low volatility environment of the past several years.  The irony, of course, is that as an online brokerage Interactive Brokers’ valuation rests on the fact their clients are active and/or professional traders.

The transition was not taken favourably by analysts, at least for the moment, as the move resulted in downgrades on IBKR. While the stock price faltered momentarily, by week’s end it had made back ground and then some.

One of the reasons the stock chart on IBKR may have recovered so quickly came from the report of their trading metrics.

The image below (from the March 2017 trading results) indicates an increase of new accounts in March compared to February (+2%) and compared to the same point last year, the increase an increase of 18%. The spike in net new accounts from February to March 2017 was more than 61% higher than the percentage of net new accounts from the same period in 2016. Perhaps the SNAP IPO in early March along with an increased interest in the IPO market generally helped to serve as a catalyst; however, the slow and steady march upward in account growth is noteworthy.

Interactive Brokers trading stats March 2017

There was a negative metric picked up on by analysts, namely the decrease in the number of trades (DARTs) that was observed on both a month over month basis as well as on a year over year basis. That said, there was a significantly higher size of order being placed with the number of shares traded 13% higher in March than in February and 63% higher than March 2016.

Big picture: Interactive Brokers continues to shine with active traders, the most lucrative segment for many online brokerages.

One of the reasons that Interactive Brokers earns the accolades from the trading community is that it is both creative and resourceful in the offerings it gives to its clients.

This week, Interactive Brokers Canada announced that its stock yield enhancement program is now available to Canadian investors (officially).  Briefly, the program enables Interactive Brokers to lend out securities of its clients to other investors and, in exchange, the clients lending the securities receive a portion of interest paid on cash collateral put up by the borrower.

There is an extensive FAQ page detailing many of the conditions and requirements associated with the Stock Yield Enhancement Program but a few key takeaways are that individuals with at least $50,000 in account value can participate and that eligible securities can be either Canadian or American (whereas the Stock Yield Enhancement Program was previously restricted to just US securities).

This program is of primary interest to those active investors who wish to short stocks. Specifically, online brokerages that can tap into client securities to lend out facilitate greater availability of those shares.

Several years ago, Questrade tried to gauge interest in a similar program; however, the launch of the program was contingent on approval from Canadian regulators – something that appears to either have stalled or not proceeded.

Regardless, now that Interactive Brokers offers such a program, it will be interesting to see if other online brokerages follow suit (to cater to active traders) or if this becomes yet another reason that active traders will seek out Interactive Brokers as their brokerage of choice.

Finally, Interactive Brokers’ founder and CEO Thomas Peterffy was on CNBC earlier this week providing his take on the latest developments of US retail investors and markets in general. It was particularly interesting to note his position on the markets at these levels but also his take on DIY investor sentiment.

Around the Corner

We’re making some adjustments to how content is delivered on SparxTrading.com and are pleased to announce that we will be including announcements/previews of articles that we’ll be publishing on the blog here in the weekly roundup.

Be sure to check back on the blog (or follow us on Twitter) to get the latest insights on features and developments at Canadian discount brokerages.

In our first ‘around the corner’, be on the lookout for a detailed look at Scotia iTRADE’s launch of their ‘sustainable’ investment assessment tool. This tool has been gathering quite a bit of attention online and has also seen associated media (video) developed to help investors understand what it is and how to use it.

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

An interesting week for DIY investors on Twitter with new features and platform stability on the wishlist. Mentioned were BMO InvestorLine, CIBC Investor’s Edge, Questrade, Scotia iTRADE, TD Direct Investing and Virtual Brokers.

From the Forums

Transferustration

Moving between online brokerages can be a costly affair. In this post one user is considering the move from TD Direct Investing into Questrade and comes up with an interesting (albeit round about) way to deal with the transfer fees.

Transferustration 2: Not so Simple

With robo-advisors gaining in popularity, the shift away from DIY passive investment portfolios into a robo-advisor based platform will only continue to gain traction. This post was particularly interesting as it shows the (rough) experience of one user transferring from Questrade into Wealthsimple.

Into the Close

The first week of April is officially in the books. It’s been a very interesting week across the markets and more importantly across the globe. While the world is nervously watching what happens with the US war machine now being mobilized, traders are inevitably wondering how best to navigate this terrain. And, speaking of things moving quickly, science (or a pipe dream) finds its way into our imaginations yet again this week. Here’s a look into the future of ultra high-speed transportation. Have a great weekend!

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – April 2017

*Updated April 14* Even though this is technically April Fool’s Day, the pullback in deals is no laughing matter. After a very busy March in which there were as many as 35 deals in play, April kicks off with a more modest 24 live deals. The bigger story, however, is recognizing that now might not be the best timing for brokerages to be on the sidelines.

Having compared online brokerage deals & promotions for several years now, there is clearly some seasonality at play. Last year, for example, the transition from March to April saw the deal count drop from 33 to 19.

Discount brokerage deals and promotions typically ramp up at the beginning of a new year and crest heading into the RRSP contribution deadline at the beginning of March, after which things slowly subside.

Coming into 2017, however, it was noteworthy that several online brokerages had launched their major promotional pushes just before the end of 2016, signaling a much fiercer competitive environment for attracting new clientele.

And, although the start of April begins with a major contraction in offers, it is also interesting to see that competitive forces are still at play in the early part of 2017.

While we can’t be certain of the timing of this change, National Bank Direct Brokerage quietly lowered their minimum transfer deposit requirement from $25,000 to $20,000 for individuals to receive a transfer fee credit. The majority of Canadian online brokerages have set the bar at $25,000 to qualify for the transfer fee credit to apply so this move from NBDB might be enough to tip a few competitors to do the same.

Another interesting development at the outset of a new month is absence of special offers listed on the Scotia iTRADE ‘special offers’ page.

Along with BMO InvestorLine, Scotia iTRADE has been a stalwart of the deals race, typically running promotions to attract new clients. Interestingly, the ‘refer-a-friend’ and the ‘Start Right’ offers appear to have been labeled as “programs” (in the Fees section) rather than being listed under the special offers section.  The same is true for their ‘buck-a-bond’ offer, which has been a fixture of previous special offer sections.

The restructuring of Scotia iTRADE’s deals could be a consequence of the new website organization but for DIY investors looking for an incentive, this change has made it less clear that there are offers available.

On the surface, it seems that running offers/promotions when DIY investors are in the market for opening an account makes sense. It’s why retailers concentrate their efforts around big shopping dates in the calendar year. Unlike retail, however, the reality is that DIY investors, especially those on the margins, might be driven more by the investment climate than by seasonal deadlines.

With our own internal data showing steady DIY investor interest, markets trading at all-time highs and economic forecasts flashing green, there’s a case to be made that there’s no better time for brokerages to be offering up more promotions rather than less. If investors are coming back to the markets, it will be interesting to see just how long brokerages are going to sit this opportunity out. Stay tuned.

Expired Deals

*Update: April 3 – BMO InvestorLine has retired their winter promotion and replaced it with a new offer (see below).*

There were 12 deals that expired at one point or another during March. Here’s a list of the deals that didn’t make it into April (as of April 1st):

  • CIBC Investor’s Edge – Cash back promotion
  • Credential Direct – Cash back promotion
  • HSBC InvestDirect – 50 commission-free equity trades
  • National Bank Direct Brokerage – Cash back promotion
  • Qtrade Investor – Cash back promotion
  • RBC Direct Investing – Pay with points promotion
  • Scotia iTRADE – Travel points promotion
  • Scotia iTRADE – Transfer fee promotion
  • Scotia iTRADE – Visa Gift Card promotion
  • TD Direct Investing – 200 commission-free trade promotion
  • Virtual Brokers – $10,000 commission rebate offer
  • Virtual Brokers – 5i Research Subscription Offer

Extended Deals

No deals that were set to expire at the end of March have been extended (as of time of publication).

New Deals

*Update: April 14 – Qtrade Investor is once again offering their transfer promotion which lowers the minimum deposit amount required to qualify for covering transfer fees from $25,000 to $10,000. This is the most competitive transfer fee offer currently available from a Canadian online brokerage. See table below for more details.*

*Update: April 3 – BMO InvestorLine has introduced a very competitive cash back or commission-free trade deal for DIY investors. For deposits of at least $100,000, eligible individuals can receive either $200 cash back or 20 commission-free trades; for deposits of at least $250,000, eligible individuals can receive either $1,000 cash back or 100 commission free trades. According to the terms and conditions for this deal, the eligible account types are cash or margin (individual or joint) accounts, corporate accounts, sole proprietorship accounts, RRSP and spousal RRSP accounts.*

No new deals or promotions to report (as of time of publication).

Discount Brokerage Deals

  1. Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
  2. Referral Promotions
  3. Transfer Fee Promotions
  4. Contests & Other Offers

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
Jitney Trade 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
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, 2017
Open and fund a new registered account at Virtual Brokers with at least A) $5,000; B) $25,000; or C) $50,000+ in new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $30; B) $50; C) $100 cash back. Use promo code RRSPCB2017 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. A) $5,000 – $24,999 B) $25,000 – $49,999 C) $50,000+ A) $30 B) $50 C) $100 Cash back will be deposited just after October 31, 2017 RSP cash back bonus April 30, 2017
Open and fund a new account at Virtual Brokers with at least $5,000 and you may be eligible to receive 2 months of commission-free equity trading and a $250 USD/mo credit towards Edge Trader Pro for 2 months. Use promo code 2MFREE2017 at sign up to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for details. $5,000 2 months commission-free equity trading + $250 USD/mo platform fee rebate. 2 months 2 months free trading April 30, 2017
Disnat 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 DisnatFlex 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 April 28, 2017
BMO InvestorLine Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine or fund a qualifying existing account, with at least A) $100,000 or B) $250,000+ in net new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $200 cash back or 20 commission-free trades; B) $1,000 cash back or 100 commission-free trades. Use promo code CASH when signing up for cash back offer or TRADES to be eligible for commission-free equity trade offer. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for more details on the offer. A) $100,000 – $249,999 B) $249,999+ A) Cash back: $200 OR 20 commission-free trades B) Cash back: $1,000 OR 100 commission-free trades. Cash back will be deposited the week of January 8, 2018. Commission-free equity trades are eligible for use up to August 6, 2017. Cash back or Free trade offer June 5, 2017

Expired Offers
BMO InvestorLine Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine, and fund it with at least A) $100,000; B) $200,000 or C) $300,000+ in net new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $200; B) $400 or C) $750 cash back. Use promo code PROMO750 when signing up to be eligible. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for more details on the offer. A) $100,000 – $199,999 B) $200,000 – $299,999 C) $300,000+ Cash back bonus A) $200 B) $400 C) $750 Cash back will be deposited the week of November 6, 2017. 2017 Winter Campaign *Expired* April 2, 2017 *Expired*
Last Updated: April 22, 2017 01:00 PT

Referral Promotions

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Incentive Structure Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Deposit Details Link Deadline
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
Scotia iTrade 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
BMO InvestorLine 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 45 days after minimum 90 day holding period(subject to conditions). BMO InvestorLine Refer-a-Friend June 30, 2017

Expired Offers
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit 30 days none none
Last Updated: April 1, 2017 14:30 PT

Transfer Fee Promotions

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Minimum Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
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
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
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
Transfer $10,000 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 $10,000 Transfer Fee Rebate May 11, 2017
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
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
Transfer $25,000 or more to Virtual Brokers and they may cover up to $150 in transfer fees. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee promo tbd
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
Disnat 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 DisnatFlex. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo April 28, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: April 14, 2017 23:30 PT

Other Promotions

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Required Details Link Deadline
Credential Direct has partnered with Trend Micro to offer 50% off Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security. Use code “TrendCF” at checkout. n/a Trend Micro Special Offer Code none
Disnat Desjardins Online Brokerage, in conjunction with MoneyTalks, is offering 3 months of the “Inside Edge” investor information service to Desjardins Online Brokerage clients. Use promo code DESJ2016 during checkout to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for more information. n/a MoneyTalks Inside Edge Discount none
Disnat 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
Scotia iTrade 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
Open a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 (for the Classic Commission Account) and you may be eligible to win a $250 gift card to the Apple store. Use promo code 250AGC2017 during sign up to be eligible. Residents of Quebec are not eligible for this contest. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $1,000 (Classic Commission Account) $250 Apple Gift Card Draw April 30, 2017
Open a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 (for the Classic Commission Account) or $5,000 (for the Commission Free Trading Account) and you may be eligible to receive a one-year subscription to access 5i Research. Use promo code 5iVB2016 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $1,000 (Classic Commission Account); $5,000 (Commission Free Trading Account) 5i Research Offer March 31, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: April 1, 2017 14:30 PT
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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – March 31, 2017

Even though March is over, it still doesn’t quite feel like the madness is behind us yet. Nonetheless, housing prices (in Toronto) and stock markets are still buoyant, and are managing to keep up appearances. For investors & discount brokerages, it seems the old farmer adage stands: make hay while the sun shines.

In this edition of the roundup, we look at the deals and promotions turnover set to take place across the board as we head into a new month. From there, we’ll review the latest security feature from a Canadian bank-owned discount brokerage that leverages voice biometrics. As always, we’ll look at what DIY investors had to say on Twitter and wrap up the week with a couple of interesting forum posts.

Marching Forward

After the madness of the RSP contribution season, a rally in the stock market, and rumblings of interest rate increases, it appears as if the landscape for online brokerages is due for a bit of a shakeup.

As we head into a new month, it is already clear that there will be a great deal of change on the deals & promotions front with at least six offers officially set to expire at midnight. Interestingly, deals from National Bank Direct Brokerage, CIBC Investor’s Edge and Scotia iTRADE were pulled from their websites in advance of the official calendar roll over.

The transition from March madness to April (sadness?) is not unusual. Last year, the shift from March to April saw the deal count fall 42% from 33 offers down to 19, with most of the offers disappearing from the cash back/free trade category. The deal count through March of this year reached close to 30 before pulling back slightly with the expiration of deals from Credential Direct, Qtrade Investor and HSBC InvestDirect.

One curious observation this year is that online brokerages have removed offers from their website in advance of the calendar roll over. Typically these deals last through the last day of the offer, even sticking around a few days after the deal has expired.

It’s not quite clear what this means for publication of new offers, however it seems that brokerages are being slightly more responsive than they have been previously. Also, it is curious to note that, at the time of publication, there were no longer any promotional offers or deals listed on the Scotia iTRADE special offers section. Scotia iTRADE has been staple of the deals race for a very long time, so it will be interesting to see if they populate their deals section again soon or if this is a signal of a change in strategy.

We will continue to monitor the deals & promotions section heading into April, especially since the landscape for DIY investors’ choice of promotions keeps shifting. With several ‘coming soon’ features announced by brokerages (including one described below) there may be a convenient promotion to accompany new feature releases.

List of some of the brokerages and deals expired as of March 31st:

  • Virtual Brokers’ $10,000 Commission Credit Offer
  • National Bank Direct Brokerage Cash Back Promotion
  • Scotia iTRADE Winter 2017 Commission Rebate Offer
  • CIBC Investor’s Edge Cash Back & Free Trade Offer
  • TD Direct Investing 200 Commission-free Trade Offer

New Voice of Security

Whether it’s Siri, Google or Alexa, there’s no question that voice recognition is playing a greater role in the day to day lives of consumers. Now, it appears, it will do the same for DIY investors.

Voice recognition technology has typically found its way into the financial services world as a means to replace users having to push numbers on a keypad to navigate, but now it is possible for this technology to verify the identity of who’s on the line.

An announcement posted on the CIBC Investor’s Edge website indicates that voice recognition biometrics will soon be integrated into the customer service experience at one of Canada’s bank-owned online discount brokerages. Instead of fumbling about with passwords, PINs or security verification questions, individuals who are in a hurry will simply be able to rely on a ‘voiceprint’ for security authentication.

Screenshot from CIBC Investor’s Edge Website

How much time can be saved using voice biometric login? Quite a bit, it seems. A recent study of voiceprint-based biometric authentication from Citibank’s Asian Pacific region found that the average time to validate a client’s identity dropped from 45 seconds to 15 seconds using this new technology. In a world where user experience online demands web pages load in fractions of a second, it’s easy to see why making the case to shave the telephone authentication experience down makes sense.

Another improvement to the telephone experience CIBC Investors Edge users will enjoy is being able to schedule a call back instead of waiting on hold.

Granted, it seems like a small improvement, but for impatient traders or investors who would rather listen to the market news instead of hold music (or hold commercials), the call back feature is a godsend and will make scenarios like the one mentioned above a thing of the past. Of course, while call backs are preferable, how long it takes for an agent to call back is another matter entirely.

The announcement page for this new feature also has compiled a useful list of questions, including what should happen if voice authentication does not work or does not allow a user in.

This latest feature announcement, while not revolutionary, is still evolutionary and helps to exemplify that the bigger bank-owned discount brokerages are not standing still when it comes to innovation. When it comes to deciding on how to improve consumer experience as an online brokerage, this one seems to be a good call.

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

If there’s a rule to social media and discount brokerages, it’s that when things break, you’ll hear about it on Twitter. Mentioned this week were BMO InvestorLine, Disnat, Questrade, Scotia iTRADE, TD Direct Investing & Virtual Brokers.

From the Forums

Conversion Factor

DIY investors are always on the lookout for a good deal. In this post, from reddit’s Personal Finance Canada, one DIY investor looking for a better way to convert between USD & CAD found a good tip to consider at a popular online brokerage.

Qtrade vs Questrade

Without meaning to, the Q-named Canadian discount brokerages are often mistaken for one another. In this post, however, one user had narrowed the field down to choosing between Qtrade Investor and Questrade. More instructive, however, is the response on this channel that Questrade managed to provide.

Into the Close

That does it for another week in the markets. Assuming that nothing totally crazy happens on Twitter this weekend, enjoy April Fool’s Day, the start of spring training and celebrating the successful launch (and return) of the SpaceX rocket. For a head start on April Fool’s pranks, here’s a fun rundown of them.

 

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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – March 24, 2017

Investor’s know that when it comes to investing, there’s generally no such thing as a sure thing. In a week where there was so much going on, it was curious to see those that were convinced of a done deal (aka repeal & replace) come undone at the seams and those that were convinced of the worst (i.e. a capital gains tax hike) not see it come through.

This week’s roundup is chalked full of goodies courtesy of the federal budget and a handful of Canadian discount brokerages who’ve supplied investors with some interesting analysis and overviews of important changes for DIY investors to take note of. While the budget dominated the headlines, the next big story covered in the roundup looks at an interesting ‘blip’ on the radar from one of Canada’s largest online brokerages and how this might change the toolbox for younger DIY investors. From there we’ll scan through the latest tweets and DIY investor forum posts to see what investors and brokerages were talking about.

Budgetpalooza

This week, the highly anticipated federal budget was announced and it was maybe more of a surprise because of what it didn’t contain than for what it did.

Canadian DIY investors and pundits breathed a collective sigh of relieve when it was clear that the capital gains exemption rate would be left untouched at the current 50% rate.

Even though many experts describe the budget as a ‘business as usual’ move, it nonetheless weighed in at over 200 pages and did contain a number of nuggets that investors will need to pay attention to. Of course, like just about everything related to DIY investing, getting a full view of what the budget changes may mean requires quite a bit of reading and researching different sources.

Fortunately for DIY investors, there are couple of resources from Canadian online brokerages that can help make sense of the budget from an investor’s point of view.

We’ve identified three discount brokerages who’ve put together some useful resources related to this most recent budget announcement that DIY investors may want to pay closer attention to: Desjardins Online Brokerage, BMO InvestorLine (via BMO Wealth Management) and CIBC Investor’s Edge.

Here’s a quick overview of each source and what information that DIY investors might find most useful.

Budget 2017 Review: Desjardins Online Brokerage

Starting first with Desjardins Online Brokerage, who managed to pull together very good summaries of the budget very quickly. Their budget coverage included an ultra quick read/summary of some highlights of the budget including:

  • Access to the Canada Learning Bond (CLB)
  • Anti-avoidance rules applicable to registered plans
  • Phasing out the Canada Savings Bond Program
  • Consolidation of caregiver credits
  • Tuition tax credit
  • Tax credit for transit
  • Capital gain inclusion rate in computing income

None of these topics was explored in detail in the summary, but to provide added depth – especially from an economic perspective, there was also a budget analysis audio cast (great for listening on the road or treadmill) and PDF report. This report would be of interest to DIY investors who want take a ‘macro’ look at the possible impact of the budget on the Canadian economy.

Budget 2017 Review: BMO InvestorLine (BMO Wealth Management)

The BMO Wealth Management budget overview provided by BMO InvestorLine offered clients a detailed explanation of key changes in the budget that was particularly strong in highlighting a few changes that can impact DIY investors. In addition to the detailed article, there was a video interview (shown below) that provided a recap.

On a side note, the content/digital marketing efforts of the Canadian financial institutions are starting to ramp up (this is probably another topic for another day, but feel free to drop us a note if you want to chat about it!)

Some points of interest from the BMO Wealth Management 2017 budget overview were:

  • the detailed explanations on Anti-avoidance rules which are of importance to investors with RESPs or those thinking about using a DIY investor account for an RESP
  • timing of recognition of gains & losses for derivatives which should be important for advanced DIY options traders/investors to review
  • tax incentives for investors of flow-through entities (related to mineral exploration).

Budget 2017 Review: CIBC Investor’s Edge

The budget overview from CIBC Investor’s Edge consists of two parts. The first, a document prepared by tax and estate planning experts Jamie Golombek and Debbie Pearl-Weinberg, was a somewhat detailed look at key components of the budget that could impact individuals and small business owners.

This document covered quite a bit of ground but was nonetheless very readable. The most salient points for DIY investors included had some good explanations of rules impacting RESPs/RDSPs and a very good example of the changes to timing of recognition of gains and losses for derivatives – a must read for options traders.

In addition to their overview document, there will be a webinar presented by Jamie Golombek, scheduled for Wednesday March 29th from 12pm – 1pm ET, which will cover:

  • tax filing tips
  • splitting investment income with family members
  • Investing in RRSPs or TFSAs vs paying off debt
  • Donation strategies for investors

As this is investor focused content, it will likely provide some additional depth and colour to the points DIY investors are likely to encounter when tax planning.

Other brokerages

Although not directly from TD Direct Investing, the Money Talks series produced by TD provided some investor-focused budget content in video format and TD Economics put together a brief analysis of the budget from a ‘macro’ perspective.

The five minute-ish Money Talks video touched very briefly on several topics related to the budget, including what didn’t happen this budget. The big takeaway from this video was to talk to a tax/investment advisor for more guidance.

You’ve got a fund in me

It’s not often these days that DIY investors get to hear about mutual funds. In fact, when looking back at the past few years of investor education events, there haven’t been many (daresay any) of educational events for DIY investors from Canadian discount brokerages that specifically dealt with mutual funds.

That changed this week as TD Direct Investing held a webinar on mutual funds that appeared to coincide with the release of TD Managed ETF Portfolios (which are available as D-series mutual funds).

On the surface, it appears that DIY investors (especially those with modest portfolio sizes) who are looking for a convenient, cheap(ish) option for getting diversified exposure for their investment could be in luck. For a very good overview of what’s under the hood on the new offer, especially the finer point of these funds having an actively managed component, check out the Canadian Couch Potato article here.

In addition to the new product angle, what was most interesting about the TD Direct Investing webinar we reviewed this week was that the webinar appeared to provide only a partial view of the full landscape of mutual fund choices available to DIY investors who are with TD Direct Investing.

Specifically, there was no mention of the TD e-Series funds during the presentation even during the discussion of funds that could be accessed by DIY investors. Given the popularity of the TD e-Series funds with DIY investors and those that presumably would also be interested in the new D-Series funds, it was a very curious choice to omit.

Nonetheless, the combination of a webinar topic on mutual funds, especially those marketed to DIY investors, as well as the launch of a new DIY-focused set of mutual funds that have earned cautious praise from an influential voice in the Canadian DIY investing, signal a potentially interesting development across the industry.

Challenged by robo-advisors on the one hand and the trend towards passive (and ETF investing) on the other, bringing back the mutual fund into the DIY investor tool box is something other larger players might also try to get behind.

While it may not be the ‘cheapest’ option for DIY investors, these new mutual funds may gain traction because of perceived value. Specifically, for younger or less experienced investors, that value lever is convenience, something bank-owned discount brokerages such as TD Direct Investing know just as good as any firm how to sell.

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

March madness was in full effect – and it wasn’t just basketball either. Mentioned this week were CIBC Investor’s Edge, Questrade (a lot!), Scotia iTRADE, TD Direct Investing and Virtual Brokers.

From the Forums

The Waiting Game

Does transferring to or from a discount brokerage really have to be so painful? Transfers happen all the time, however the internet is littered with horror stories from DIY investors who’ve had things go off the rails when trying to get into or out of an online brokerage account. Find out from this post what one investor had to go through when trying to transfer into a popular discount brokerage.

Into the Close

Investors have had a lot to chew on this week. Fortunately, spring is officially here, so here’s to thinking about warmer weather. In the meantime, hockey fans enjoy the race to the playoffs (for those who are still in it) and best of luck ducking the political drama this weekend!

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – March 2017

March is finally here. With the promise of spring ahead of us and the RSP deadline now behind us, attention is going to shift to tax season and where, how and with whom those refunds will be invested.  The great news for DIY investors is that there are still lots of promotional offers to choose from when looking at potential Canadian discount brokerage deals, so there’s no shortage of options.

This month we kick off with a whopping 29 offers from 13 different discount brokerages. Almost all Canadian discount brokers have some kind of promotional offer (except for Interactive Brokers), even if it is just a simple transfer fee coverage offer. Like all good things, however, several of the discount brokerage deals offered this month have a particularly short shelf life expiring during or at the end of March. So, while it has been possible to see what offers might have launched through the RSP deadline, there’s a good probability that many of these deals won’t be around for the rest of the year or even until next year.

Read on to get the full breakdown of expired, extended and new offers to hit the tape this month. Of course if there are any offers that you spot or know of that other DIY investors would find useful, let us know in the comments section below.

Expired Deals

After having received a minor extension to meet the RSP contribution deadline, the RBC Direct Investing Rewards points offer officially expired on March 1st.

Extended Deals

There’s nothing like the word ‘extension’ to put a smile on the faces of procrastinators everywhere. Fortunately, two offers managed to stick around just a little while longer.

The first extension is from Desjardins Online Brokerage who extended their commission rebate offer through to April 28th. Next, Qtrade Investor extended their cash back offering until March 15th. See the table below for more details.

New Deals

Rolling into the new month, there were technically no new offers announced at the very start of March. In late February, however, Scotia iTRADE launched a new Visa card (cash back) deal that coincided with the launch of their new website. Although the offer itself didn’t appear in the promotions section at the time of writing, the link to the offer was live on their site.

Visa card values range from $50 to $500 for deposits that range from $25,000 to $1,000,000+. See table below for more details.

Discount Brokerage Deals

  1. Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
  2. Referral Promotions
  3. Transfer Fee Promotions
  4. Contests & Other Offers

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
Jitney Trade 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
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, 2017
Open and fund a new registered account at Virtual Brokers with at least A) $5,000; B) $25,000; or C) $50,000+ in new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $30; B) $50; C) $100 cash back. Use promo code RRSPCB2017 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. A) $5,000 – $24,999 B) $25,000 – $49,999 C) $50,000+ A) $30 B) $50 C) $100 Cash back will be deposited just after October 31, 2017 RSP cash back bonus April 30, 2017
Open and fund a new account at Virtual Brokers with at least $5,000 and you may be eligible to receive 2 months of commission-free equity trading and a $250 USD/mo credit towards Edge Trader Pro for 2 months. Use promo code 2MFREE2017 at sign up to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for details. $5,000 2 months commission-free equity trading + $250 USD/mo platform fee rebate. 2 months 2 months free trading April 30, 2017
Disnat 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 DisnatFlex 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 April 28, 2017
Open and fund a new account with Virtual Brokers with at least $10,000 and you may be eligible to receive a commission-credit of up to $10,000. Use promo code 10K2017 at sign up to qualify. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $10,000 Up to $10,000 in commission credits (@ $9.95 per trade) deadline to use trades March 31, 2017. Commission rebates to be offered in January 2018. $10,000 Commission Credit Offer March 31, 2017
Open and fund a new account by March 31st with at least A) $20,000 or B) $100,00+ and you may qualify to receive up to either A) $500 or B) $1000 in commission reimbursements. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full offer details. A) $20,000 – $99,999 B) $100,000+ A) up to $500 commission reimbursements B) up to $1000 commission reimbursements 90 days National Bank Direct Brokerage Cash Back Promotion March 31, 2017
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 A) 50; B) 100 or C) 200 commission-free trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full offer details A) $25,000 – $49,999 B) $50,000 – $99,999 C) $100,000+ A) 50 commission-free trades (max value: $500) B) 100 commission-free trades (max value: $1000) C) 200 commission-free trades (max value: $2000) April 28th, 2017 Commission charges will be credited the month following when the charge was incurred. TD Direct Investing 200 Commission-free Trade Offer March 31, 2017
Open and fund a new account with Scotia iTRADE with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000 or D) $250,000+ and you may be eligible to receive A) 75; B) 150; C) 200 or D) $250,000+ in commission-free trades. In addition, new clients will also receive FlightDesk active trading platform free for 90 days. Use promo code W17FT when signing up 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 (max value: $749.25) B) 150 (max value: $1498.50) C) 200 (max value: $1,998) D) 250 (max value: $2,497.50) 90 days Winter 2017 Free Trade Offer March 31, 2017
CIBC Investors Edge Open and fund a new account at CIBC Investor’s Edge with at least A) $50,000 or B) $100,000 and you may be eligible to receive A) $200 or B) $400 in cash back. Also, individuals who setup a regular investment plan may also be eligible to receive 50 commission-free equity trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for more information. A) $50,000 – $99,999 B) $100,000+ A) $200 B) $400 +Bonus 50 commission-free trades for setting up Regular Investment Plan. Cash back will be deposited within 30 business days after account funding. Commission-free equity trades good for 60 days after setup of Regular Investment Plan. Cash Back & Free Trade Offer March 31, 2017
BMO InvestorLine Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine, and fund it with at least A) $100,000; B) $200,000 or C) $300,000+ in net new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $200; B) $400 or C) $750 cash back. Use promo code PROMO750 when signing up to be eligible. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for more details on the offer. A) $100,000 – $199,999 B) $200,000 – $299,999 C) $300,000+ Cash back bonus A) $200 B) $400 C) $750 Cash back will be deposited the week of November 6, 2017. 2017 Winter Campaign April 2, 2017

Expired Offers
Open a new account with HSBC InvestDirect and you may be eligible to receive up to 50 commission-free North American equity trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full offer details. n/a 50 commission-free North American equity trades 60 days HSBC InvestDirect Cash Bonus Promo March 3, 2017
Open and fund a new account with Qtrade Investor with a deposit of at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000; D) $250,000; E) $500,000 or F) $1,000,000 or more and you may be eligible to receive a cash back bonus of A) $25; B) $50; C) $100; D) $250; E) $500 or F) $1,000. 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 – $499,999 E) $500,000 – $999,999 F) $1,000,000+ A) $25 B) $50 C) $100 D) $250 E) $500 F) $1,000 Cash back will be deposited by July 31, 2017. Qtrade Investor Cash Back Bonus March 15, 2017
Open and fund a new account or fund an existing account at Credential Direct with at least A) $15,000; B) $50,000; C) $150,000; D) $500,000 or E) $1,000,000+ in new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $75; B) $125; C) $200; D) $500 or E) $1,000. Use promo code CASH2017RSP when signing up. As an added bonus, Credential Direct will donate an amount equivalent to 10% of the bonus paid out to United Way. 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 back will be deposited week of October 9, 2017. Credential Direct Cash Back Promotion March 16, 2017
Last Updated: Mar. 17, 2017 17:35 PT

Referral Promotions

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Incentive Structure Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Deposit Details Link Deadline
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
Scotia iTrade 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
BMO InvestorLine 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 45 days after minimum 90 day holding period(subject to conditions). BMO InvestorLine Refer-a-Friend June 30, 2017

Expired Offers
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit 30 days none none
Last Updated: Mar. 2, 2017 00:15 PT

Transfer Fee Promotions

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Minimum Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
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
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
Transfer $25,000 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 $25,000 Transfer Fee Rebate none
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
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
Transfer $25,000 or more to Virtual Brokers and they may cover up to $150 in transfer fees. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee promo tbd
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
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
Disnat 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 DisnatFlex. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo April 28, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: Mar. 2, 2017 00:25PT

Other Promotions

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Required Details Link Deadline
Credential Direct has partnered with Trend Micro to offer 50% off Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security. Use code “TrendCF” at checkout. n/a Trend Micro Special Offer Code none
Disnat Desjardins Online Brokerage, in conjunction with MoneyTalks, is offering 3 months of the “Inside Edge” investor information service to Desjardins Online Brokerage clients. Use promo code DESJ2016 during checkout to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for more information. n/a MoneyTalks Inside Edge Discount none
Disnat 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
Scotia iTrade 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
Scotia iTrade Open and fund a new account with Scotia iTRADE with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000; D) $250,000; E) $500,000 or F) $1,000,000+ and you may be eligible to receive 50 commission-free trades plus A) 5,000; B) 7,500; C) 15,000 or D) 20,000; E) 25,000 or F) 50,000 travel points on an eligible Scotia travel points credit card. In addition, new clients will also receive FlightDesk active trading platform free for 90 days. Use promo code W17RP when signing up 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 – $499,999 E) $500,000 – $999,999 F) $1,000,000+ Scotia reward points offer March 31, 2017
Open a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 (for the Classic Commission Account) and you may be eligible to win a $250 gift card to the Apple store. Use promo code 250AGC2017 during sign up to be eligible. Residents of Quebec are not eligible for this contest. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $1,000 (Classic Commission Account) $250 Apple Gift Card Draw April 30, 2017
Open a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 (for the Classic Commission Account) or $5,000 (for the Commission Free Trading Account) and you may be eligible to receive a one-year subscription to access 5i Research. Use promo code 5iVB2016 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $1,000 (Classic Commission Account); $5,000 (Commission Free Trading Account) 5i Research Offer March 31, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: Mar. 2, 2017 00:15 PT
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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – February 24, 2017

Spring may still be a month away but there are many who’ve already had more than enough of winter. Of course, change is certainly the theme for Canadian discount brokerages as their new reality is one in which they will have to become better at managing it and demonstrating that they can pull it off without a hitch.

In this week’s roundup we take a closer look at one Canadian online brokerage that unveiled a major change to its front-facing website earlier in the week. From there we’ll take a look at a recent evolution by the parent of another popular online brokerage as they introduce Canada’s latest robo-advisor. As usual, we’ll close out with the latest chatter from DIY investors on social media and in the investor forums.

Scotia iTRADE website gets a major overhaul

This past week, after what likely involved many conversations about the finer points of typography, colour palettes and ‘user experience’, Scotia iTRADE unveiled their new public-facing website.

While we were given an early look at the new website, now that the site has gone live we can finally shine a brighter spotlight on the website itself, what Scotia iTRADE hopes it will achieve and what the new site means for DIY investors and iTRADE’s competitors.

Online trading continues the tradition of change

Ever since online brokerages hitched their wagons to the world of internet trading, there has been a constant tension between the world of finance and the world of technology.

On the one hand, finance is about stability, trust and continuity. On the other, technology is about change, innovation and taking chances. And, as a result, as money becomes more digital, online brokerage firms are increasingly becoming technology firms first and financial service firms second.

That said – what does the digital shift for finance have to do with online investing? In a nutshell, everything.

When it comes to online brokerage websites, it is clear to see that the first thing that consumers see and interact with will have an important impact on how perceive that particular brand or firm. Are they competent? Are they trustworthy? Do they run a dilapidated front end or do they care about what they do enough to make it look good and function effectively? These are just some of the questions DIY investors would have asked while visiting a branch in person but now ask when they visit a website or use an app.  The website is the digital ambassador for the brand and the longer online brokerages leave their sites fallow, the less inclined anyone will be to pay attention, let alone trust what the experience will be like.

That said, good websites are not cheap to design, build, implement and monitor. In a world where Canadian online brokerages are facing fierce competition from one another, as well as declining commission revenue and possible threats from products/services such as robo-advisors, justifying the spend to redo a website communicates that a brokerage is willing to keep itself in the game and that it can evolve with the times. As in the real world, you have to dress the part.

And, while we have witnessed many of Scotia iTRADE’s peers already go through the redesign process over the past three years, the fact that Scotia iTRADE has finally rolled out their new site signals that they, too, are very much in the Canadian online brokerage race for the long haul – good news, of course, for the long-term buy and hold investors who want to park their money somewhere that is well maintained.

Features, functionality and feelings

Being the weekly roundup, we can’t go into excessive detail on the new site, but given the scope of changes, we can touch on a few interesting elements in their new website and explore a bit about how these changes stack up to the previous site.

One of the most notable changes to the new Scotia iTRADE website is that it has drastically reduced the amount of text on pages in favour of a cleaner, less cluttered look and feel.  As shown in the image below, menu options – at least at the top level menu section – have been simplified from the 9 options to go somewhere down to four key categories: About, Invest, Fees & Education.

While their very meaty dropdown menus still contain quite a bit of information, they are far less overwhelming that the previous design. Also the new menus have clearer quick links to take a user to common information without having to hunt too hard to find it.

Another notable element that has changed in the new website is the removal of the login window at the top of the screen. This might be a sore spot with existing clients who would prefer not to click anywhere to go to a login window, however it was a reasonably good gamble that existing clients would accommodate the change to having to click the ‘sign in’ button to access their account to get access to their own money. The tradeoff (pun intended) is that with the new design, the iTRADE branding stands out and the sight line is cleaner as the page loads.

In keeping with a trend that appears in a number of other online brokerage sites and financial services web pages, icons have found their way onto the homepage. TD Direct Investing and Qtrade Investor’s recent website upgrades, which preceded the launch of Scotia iTRADE’s website, also rely on icons to communicate conceptually relevant information in a way that provides some visual variety to the text and photographs on the page.

 

 

Scotia iTRADE has divided the icon section into information for new clients and existing clients, placing what are likely the most popular pieces of information to either visitor at the very top of the list of icons displayed.

 

 

Lastly, the new website is also notably more diverse and colourful in comparison to its predecessor.

In keeping with a trend in Canadian financial services firms towards embracing a more diverse view of what a ‘DIY investor’ should look like, the imagery selection features many more women, investors of varying ages and ethnicities. Additionally, although the new website makes extensive use of stock images, the choices of outfits and settings of the models are more visually striking yet approachable than the previous choices of black & white photographs with red accents.

Having opted to design a responsive website for a mobile-driven world, Scotia iTRADE is clearly banking on a future in which those who want to access their website will do so from a variety of devices. The decision and execution on going the responsive route are not without their own challenges either.

As can be seen from the image above, there are still kinks to be ironed out – such as the copious amounts of whitespace in one of their most popular sections linked to commission pricing. Because mobile design likes to stack elements vertically, there are a number of examples on the new website where how information gets presented requires figuring out the unique challenges that a responsive design environment poses.

Making it happen

Ultimately, done is better than perfect. Replacing a website is a significant undertaking and not without it its risks. So, for an online brokerage to invest in an upgrade to their website – especially on at the size as scope of the Scotia iTRADE site, it is encouraging sign that Scotia iTRADE feels confident they will be in the online brokerage race for some time.

The lack of immediate public outcry or praise from DIY investors means that Scotia iTRADE can count this launch as a win. From a user experience point of view, the new site is simpler to navigate, easier to find information and more accessible.

For DIY investors, while the important features and pricing haven’t changed, it is encouraging that financial service firms understand the value in being responsive to consumer expectations and are shifting to make their product offering easier to understand.

Of course, it will be particularly interesting to monitor how Scotia iTRADE intends to keep their brand fresh and engaging to DIY investors in this new digital reality. As all online brokerages have come to learn, the digital first impression will almost certainly become what the next generation of DIY investors will use to determine whether they are in the right place or not.

On our radar

Earlier this month, Qtrade Financial (parent to Qtrade Investor) entered the robo-advisor (or digital advice) pool with their own new service called Virtual Wealth.

While the roll out is still in its early stages, Qtrade Financial is deploying a product in an already crowded space.

With over a dozen firms already in the fray, it will be interesting to see what VirtualWealth does to distinguish itself from its competitors – many of which are either startups or the products of deep-pocketed banks and to see what kind of splash it attempts to make to gain awareness and mindshare in this space.

On a more curious note, the mindshare piece may be a bit of an uphill battle – at least at first. The branding decision to go with VirtualWealth could present some challenges as online brokerage, Virtual Brokers, has largely come to be associated with the ‘Virtual’ tagline in the Canadian online investor market.

That said, Qtrade Investor is no stranger to a little bit of confusion. DIY investors on forums still routinely confuse Qtrade Investor with Questrade, despite having almost two decades to distinguish these firms from one another.

Ultimately, naming choices aside, succeeding will come down to more than just who wears it better.

In an already crowded field, the website for VirtualWealth feels at home with a clean and modern design that leans on elements from Qtrade Investor’s recent website refresh. This is clearly not their first rodeo and despite being a new product line, they don’t seem out of place.

Also, there’s a noticeable continuity between branding elements on the Qtrade Investor site and the new VirtualWealth site. And, while subtle, these elements will be very important for VirtualWealth to leverage the strong brand reputation of Qtrade Investor and Qtrade Financial as established but innovative financial services providers. This latter point is especially relevant as the ‘startup’ style robo-advisors have little to no track record to trumpet and thus will have an even more difficult time pricing their offering higher than that of the competitive rates VirtualWealth is entering the market with.

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

With more DIY investors in the market as RRSP season draws closer to the deadline, the timing for outages could not be worse. This week’s tweets highlight the not so smooth rides. Mentioned are CIBC Investor’s Edge, Questrade, RBC Direct Investing, Scotia iTRADE & TD Direct Investing.

From the Forums

Feeling De-Fee-ted

If there’s one thing DIY investors really dislike, it’s probably fees. In this post from reddit’s Personal Finance Canada, one user was looking to get his father a better deal by asking other DIY investors for their suggestions on discount brokerages.

By the Numbers

As a DIY investor, one of the unpleasant realities is record keeping and tax documentation. In this post from the Canadian Money Forum, one forum user is trying to get to the bottom of why the numbers don’t add up on an important tax form.

 

Into the Close

So this week was certainly out of this world. Yes, there are Oscar moments coming up, and probably some great hockey or grim news – but seriously – new planets?! In all the excitement, here’s hoping that we manage to keep ourselves around long enough to enjoy what is a great discovery for humankind. Have a great weekend!

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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – February 10, 2017

Did someone say rally? While the Trump news cycle is on full blast, a funny thing has been happening in financial markets in the US and Canada – they’ve been going up. Despite the many sounds of alarm that are being rung by newscasters and analysts everywhere, the fact that financial markets are rallying in spite of it means that investors are clamoring to get into markets, at least for now.

For Canadian discount brokerages, the past week also showcased some very interesting maneuvering. In this week’s roundup, we’ll take a look at one major online brokerage that is banking on international opportunities. Next we take a look at another bank-owned brokerage that is sending one its platforms into early retirement. From there we’ll take a quick scan of what DIY investors had to say on Twitter and round out with a look at chatter in the investor forums.

World Denomination

CIBC Investor’s Edge now appears to have some very grand global ambitions. One of Canada’s big bank-owned discount brokerages took a very bold step with their latest feature: the ability for clients to be able to hold not just US dollars but six other foreign currencies as well. On the list of foreign currencies are Euros, British Pounds, Swiss Francs, Australian Dollars, Japanese Yen and New Zealand Dollars, all of which can be held in both non-registered and registered accounts (except for RESPs).

CIBC Investor's Edge introduces USD trading account
Screenshot from CIBC Investor’s Edge

In a year in which equity markets are sure to be impacted by uncertainty, there are many who are looking to foreign currencies for trading opportunities, so the timing of this new set of features is, for some investors, spot on.

By all accounts (pun intended), this is a major score for CIBC Investor’s Edge and their clients.

Starting first with the fact that adding the ability to settle trades in US dollars in a registered account means that there are no more messy conversion fees to deal with (unless you want to of course). In addition, clients can also receive dividends, interest and other distributions in US dollars – something not all bank-owned brokerages offer the ability to do.

While CIBC Investor’s Edge may not be the only bank-owned brokerage to work in multiple currencies (HSBC InvestDirect enables trades to settle in foreign currencies but does require conversions), they are the only major Canadian bank-owned brokerage to enable clients hold the currency itself in a registered or non-registered account. So, not only can individuals have a USD RRSP, they can also have cash in one of the six other currencies in a registered (or non-registered) account also.

This latest move by CIBC Investor’s Edge will certainly get the attention of their bank-owned brokerage competitors as well as independent brokerages, most of whom do not offer currencies other than USD to be held in a registered (or non-registered) account. So, in terms of differentiation, this definitely hits the mark.

Another reason why this move is bound to make a splash is because there are no extra fees associated with the multi-currency account – again not something other Canadian brokerages are offering for free.

Over the next few weeks there will almost certainly be more chatter and clarity that emerges as savvy DIY investors digest how to take advantage of the volatility in the US markets as well as in markets across the world. In the meantime, there are a few questions that are bound to arise now that CIBC Investor’s Edge is wading into the world of multi-currency accounts, such as whether the minimum amount to waive administration (or account maintenance) fees being charged on the account would be in the currency of the account (i.e. 25,000 euros to waive administration fees in a registered account) or the Canadian equivalent.

Of greater intrigue, however, is that if multi-currency accounts are a reality, does this then set the stage for CIBC Investor’s Edge to open up more formally to international trading? A speculator can certainly wish.

Screened Out

Retirement is on the minds of lots of folks at this time of year and for many it’s still a long time away. But, for Scotia iTRADE iPad app retirement is right around the corner.

After announcing in late 2016 that the iPad app would be discontinued some time in early 2017, this past week on social media Scotia iTRADE broke the news to a disheartened user the app’s days are quite numbered.

To @MomtoNikoP’s point – it’s hard to believe that the app itself has been around for about 4 years already. Unfortunately for technology, that is quite a long time.

Of course, in dealing with older technologies or deciding how best to adapt to changing needs of clients, online brokerages have to continuously wrestle with just where to allocate their technology resources. Sadly for the tablet app, it didn’t make the cut.

While there is appeal to using a tablet, perhaps this move by Scotia iTRADE is a signal of the realities of DIY investor behaviour. One of the most important benefits of trading or researching stocks on a tablet is screen real-estate. Rather than having to squint, pinch and zoom, researching charts or reading quarterly reports is easier on the eyes on a tablet than on most smartphones. The catch is, however, most people have smartphones and would rather use those devices than tote around or hold up a bulky tablet.

Also from a user experience point of view, investors ‘on the go’ that want to monitor, and even execute, transactions can work with data in small tables and can probably get away with using a smartphone. If you’re likely to be at a place where you can use a tablet, there’s a good chance you can probably use a laptop. Also, laptops are now lighter and more powerful than they’ve ever been, so for the DIY investor that needs a bigger screen, the ability to use a keyboard and a mouse make relying on the tablet a hard sell.

So, while there are users of tablet-specific apps that might relish in being able to go seamlessly from device to device, the latest move by Scotia iTRADE shows that tablet-specific apps might end up getting the swipe left as most DIY investors choose between either laptop, desktop or smartphone.

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

This week some DIY investors found themselves having to sort through technology glitches – and ultimately let people know about it on Twitter. Mentioned this week were BMO InvestorLine, CIBC Investor’s Edge, Questrade, RBC Direct Investing, Scotia iTRADE, TD Direct Investing & Virtual Brokers.

From the Forums

Deals in Motion

For the deal hunters among us, this latest thread on Red Flag Deals throws some love our way and also shows that there are more than just the advertised offers we have listed in our discount brokerage deals section – there are sometimes targeted offers in play too.

DRIP by DRIP

Dividend reinvestment plans (aka DRIPs) are a popular strategy for many investors to build wealth over the long term. In this post, also from Red Flag Deals, one investor was learning some important lessons on how dividends get issued and reinvested in the wild.

Into the Close

That’s a wrap on another crazy week. For those on top of this rally, there’s definitely a reason to cheer heading into the end of the week. Of course, how long to hold on for is anybody’s guess at this point – to quote a famous frog, ‘it’s not easy being green’. Have a great weekend and stay warm!

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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – February 3, 2017

It’s hard to believe a whole month has gone by in 2017. With the news cycle dominated by the ever unpredictable movements of the US president, speculation is as rampant as ever. For Canadian online brokerages, however, getting attention is far more difficult than just sending out a tweet at odd hours. Nonetheless they’re still finding a way to make some headlines.

This week there’s lots on the docket. First we take a look at some ‘yuge’ news to come out of the deals arena, as one online brokerage definitely went ‘bigly’ on the incentive offers for RRSP season. From there, we’ll cover the headlines made by two online brokers and their respective awards for service and price that were announced this past week. In keeping with the influence of the US on the news cycle, one online brokerage caused a ‘tremendous’ stir by repealing and replacing their standard commission rates with something much lower. And, as is usual fare, we’ll take a look at what DIY investors were chatting about on Twitter and in the investor forums.

New Deals & Promotions

It’s a new month and while winter still might be here (amiright Vancouver?), February’s deals and promotions at Canadian discount brokerages are red hot.

At the outset of February, Virtual Brokers made a very big splash by launching four deals at the beginning of the month, including the mind-boggling $10,000 commission-rebate offer that dwarfs anything put forward by other Canadian brokerages in recent memory. After factoring in the deals that were retired and the inclusion of credit card points related special offers, there are now at least 30 incentive offers from Canadian brokerages.

Looking back on January, there were six brokerages that announced offers, primarily timed around the RRSP season. While most were commission rebate offers, there were also a pair of cash back incentives and even a couple of credit card points offers for good measure.

Despite almost all brokerages offering some type of offer, there was one notable exception – Interactive Brokers. Perhaps because they already enjoy having significant appeal to the trader community, Interactive Brokers doesn’t need to work as hard to attract this highly prized category of the DIY investor market. Even so, with no shortage of other Canadian brokerages who are willing to try and get a share of those in the market for an online trading account, Interactive Brokers may want to reconsider their approach here in Canada in order to give them more visibility in a very crowded space.

Virtual Brokers, thanks to the launch of its recent flurry of deals now leads Canadian brokerages with 6 offers followed by Questrade and Desjardins Online Brokerage, each of whom has four. Even though Virtual Brokers saw some turnover, it’s clear they’re doubling down efforts heading into the RRSP deadline, with promotions and marketing ramping up significantly.

In terms of the deals themselves, transfer fee coverage remains a staple at almost all discount brokerages, followed by the commission-credit and cash back category. The least popular category, interestingly, remains the referral bonus with only three brokerages having an advertised program in place.

For DIY investors looking at opening an online trading account, be it for an RSP account, a TFSA or just another trading account to put in that income tax refund, this year competition amongst brokerages means a great selection of offers. And while a deal may not be the only reason to select a brokerage, the market has clearly shown that it can be the make or break factor in such a competitive race.

Accolades for Service & Pricing

For a pair of Canadian online brokerages, February is off to a great start.

At what is the busiest time of the year for Canadian discount brokerages, financial services research firm Surviscor released the results of two assessments of the Canadian online brokerage industry.

The first, an analysis of customer service quality known as the ‘Service Level Assessment Review’ found that Qtrade Investor handily outperformed its competitors, both bank-owned and independent, in terms of response times to client service inquiries.

With a score of 96% Qtrade Investor was more than 15 percentage points ahead of the second place Desjardins Online Brokerage (81%) and third place Scotia iTRADE (79%).  This assessment used 170 ‘mystery shopper’ service enquiries per firm and measured how quickly each firm responded as well as a number of other items including accuracy of response and whether a firm met its own response guidelines.

While Qtrade Investor’s strong customer service scores are in keeping with its history of strong performance in this category, it was also interesting to note just how far apart Canadian online brokerages were in terms of their scores on this assessment.

For example, the difference between the top rated Qtrade Investor (who scored 96%) and bottom rated Laurentian Bank Discount Brokerage (who scored 4%) is almost unbelievably wide. Even so, the number of firms (9) who scored less than or equal to 50% was also staggering, especially because it contained four major bank-owned online brokerages as well as firms such as Questrade (who scored 15%) who have demonstrated a strength in responding to clients across social media channels and far flung places such as reddit.

Without knowing the exact scoring methodology or how the results were gathered, however, it is difficult to put the numerical values into context and as such, while these figures likely do measure some component of the online customer service enquiry process, they should also be taken with caution.

The second Surviscor assessment which was announced was this week  was for the ‘Cost of Services’ award given to Virtual Brokers.  While the press release about this reward was published by Virtual Brokers, it was interesting to note that this particular survey simulated the cost of trading by looking at over 13,000 trades across brokerages and found that Virtual Brokers came out on top.

Further details about this survey or its methodology were not available so the results should be treated with caution however it is clear that as competition between brokerages heats up, awards and recognition for areas of strength are going to be increasingly a part of the marketing and advertising strategies of all Canadian brokerages who receive them.

Major US Online Brokerage Cuts Commissions

What a difference two dollars can make. Charles Schwab, one of the largest online brokerages in US with almost $3 trillion in assets, announced this week that they were lowering commission prices down to $6.95 per trade from $8.95. In doing so, Schwab caused a massive sell off in the stock prices of other publicly traded online brokerages such as E*Trade Financial and TD Ameritrade as markets anticipate that these firms will likely have to follow suit and lower commission prices (and therefore revenues) to compete.

The latest move is an interesting case study for industry observers as Schwab’s business model has evolved in the low interest rate, low volatility environment to rely on managed wealth fees as a significant source of revenue rather than trading commissions. Currently less than 11% of net revenues are from trading.

In the Canadian online brokerage landscape, this move might inspire a large enough player (such as a bank-owned brokerage) that has both a strong managed wealth business as well as an online brokerage component to disrupt the market as a whole with a commission price drop from the $9.95 standard.

Internal data from SparxTrading.com already indicate that for CIBC Investor’s Edge, there has been a dramatic shift investor interest away from higher cost alternatives because of CIBC’s commission price cut to a standard commission of $6.95.

The fallout from the latest move by Schwab will be interesting to monitor, in particular because it puts tremendous pressure on firms such as E*Trade Financial and TD Ameritrade to respond. Additionally, it could very well signal to Canadian firms that yet another round of commission-lowering is on the horizon, especially if the largest players at the table decide like their US counterparts, to aggressively gain market share.

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

Lots of chatter on Twitter this week – there’s good, bad and even a little ugly. Mentioned this week were BMO InvestorLine, CIBC Investor’s Edge, Questrade, RBC Direct Investing, Scotia iTRADE, TD Direct Investing & Virtual Brokers.

From the Forums

Glitch Happens

This past week, a user on reddit posted a notice of a technical outage on Questrade’s platform. It was an interesting thread insofar as the author seemed to entertain switching because of a glitch however other users chimed in to provide alternate perspectives.

Platform for Trading

A familiar question comes from this recent post from reddit’s personal finance Canada section with a user looking for a trading platform/brokerage to trade ETFs. Worth a read for those in a similar boat.

Into the Close

That’s a wrap on yet another crazy week. Fortunately for football fans, the big game takes place this Sunday which might offer just a little sanctuary from the political football that keeps getting tossed around. For those who don’t really care much for football, here is a little something that will hopefully send you into the weekend on an entertaining note.

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – February 2017

With the big game coming this weekend, it seems fitting to kick off the deals and promotions action for February in a big way. Canadian discount brokerage deals have reached a feverish pitch as the race to win over DIY investors intensifies to all-time highs.

The biggest news, however, is the launch of four new promotions in a single day by Virtual Brokers. If they were looking to make a splash, then this was certainly one sure fire way to get some attention.

Before getting into what’s new in February, a quick highlight of January will point to how Canadian DIY investors now have the champagne problem of which online brokerage offer to choose from when opening up a new trading account.

Like 2016, January 2017 was also a busy month for launching deals and promotions. Deals from BMO InvestorLine, CIBC Investor’s Edge, Scotia iTRADE, Credential Direct, Qtrade Investor and RBC Direct Direct Investing were all launched throughout the month, with almost all these offers falling into the commission-free trade or cash-back category.

Both Scotia iTRADE and RBC Direct Investing, however, launched deals that were related to credit card bonus points. In the case of RBC Direct Investing, clients who also had an RBC credit card were able to use points towards trading commissions (at RBC Direct Investing) and individuals signing up for a Scotia iTRADE account could also receive a welcome bonus of travel reward miles. Interestingly with almost all of the offers extending to at least the end of February if not the end of March, the RBC Direct Investing points bonus offer expires in mid-February, setting the stage for an intriguing question as to what – if any – offer RBC Direct Investing may come up with as Canadian DIY investors sprint towards the March 1st RRSP contribution deadline.

As always, if we’ve missed a deal or promotion, send us a note and we can hopefully share it with all of our readers.

Expired Deals

To make room for the slew of offers, Virtual Brokers also retired a couple of their promotional offers at the end of January.

Most notable among the changes was the retirement of Virtual Brokers’ three months of unlimited trading. In addition to three months of commission free trading, this deal included a free trial of the PowerTrader Pro trading platform, which was subsequently then going to be $150USD/mo after the free trial was completed. Fortunately, there is a replacement offer now on the table, although it is not quite the same deal as the one that just expired and with a slightly higher per month cost for the trading platform.

Also on the bench for the time being is the referral program which offered up cash bonuses to new clients as well as those who referred them.

Extended Deals

No deals to mention at this time

New Deals

Go big is the game plan for Virtual Brokers as they launch their most aggressive promotional campaign ever adding four new promotional offers into the deals mix in one launch.

There’s a lot to dive into, so here’s a quick overview.

First, their headline deal of $10,000 in commission rebates is something that is unprecedented in terms of size and scope. Because it is a commission rebate, individuals making up to 1005 trades would have the commissions associated with those trades refunded. What makes this number all the more headline worthy is the fact that the minimum deposit to qualify for this offer is $10,000. The catch, presumably, is that this deal would be most appealing to active traders more so than passive investors, especially because the deadline to use up the commission-free trades is the end of March.

In keeping with the RRSP season, Virtual Brokers has also included a tiered commission offer for new and existing clients. Although it is branded as an RRSP promotion, a number of registered accounts are a part of this promotion, notably TFSA accounts and RESPs. The cash back amounts being offered are $30, $50 or $100 for minimum deposits of $5,000, $25,000 and $50,000 respectively.

The third offer is another commission-free trading promotion. Similar to the unlimited trading deal that was recently retired, this current offer enables clients to trade up to two months commission-free as well as receive two months of the PowerTrader Pro trading platform for free.   After the free trial period, the platform costs $250USD per month and trading will remain commission-free. See the table below for more information.

Finally, for good measure Virtual Brokers has brought back their gift card draw for new clients. Individuals signing up for a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 will be eligible to be entered into a draw for a $250 Apple store gift card. There are five gift cards up for grabs as part of this contest and the draw for the gift card will take place on October 31, 2017.

Although it hit the deal wires late last month, we’re mentioning the RBC Direct Investing credit card points offer here and adding it to the list of offers covered in the “other promotions” section as well as adding Scotia iTRADE’s travel points promotion to the same category.

As always, we’ll be watching the deals action this month but if there are any deals that we’ve missed that other DIY investors would benefit from knowing about, let us know in the comments below and we update our list accordingly.

Discount Brokerage Deals

  1. Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
  2. Referral Promotions
  3. Transfer Fee Promotions
  4. Contests & Other Offers

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
Jitney Trade 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
Open a new account with HSBC InvestDirect and you may be eligible to receive up to 50 commission-free North American equity trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full offer details. n/a 50 commission-free North American equity trades 60 days HSBC InvestDirect Cash Bonus Promo March 3, 2017
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, 2017
Open and fund a new registered account at Virtual Brokers with at least A) $5,000; B) $25,000; or C) $50,000+ in new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $30; B) $50; C) $100 cash back. Use promo code RRSPCB2017 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. A) $5,000 – $24,999 B) $25,000 – $49,999 C) $50,000+ A) $30 B) $50 C) $100 Cash back will be deposited just after October 31, 2017 RSP cash back bonus April 30, 2017
Open and fund a new account at Virtual Brokers with at least $5,000 and you may be eligible to receive 2 months of commission-free equity trading and a $250 USD/mo credit towards Edge Trader Pro for 2 months. Use promo code 2MFREE2017 at sign up to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for details. $5,000 2 months commission-free equity trading + $250 USD/mo platform fee rebate. 2 months 2 months free trading April 30, 2017
Disnat 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 DisnatFlex 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 February 28, 2017
Open and fund a new account with Virtual Brokers with at least $10,000 and you may be eligible to receive a commission-credit of up to $10,000. Use promo code 10K2017 at sign up to qualify. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $10,000 Up to $10,000 in commission credits (@ $9.95 per trade) deadline to use trades March 31, 2017. Commission rebates to be offered in January 2018. $10,000 Commission Credit Offer March 31, 2017
Open and fund a new account or fund an existing account at Credential Direct with at least A) $15,000; B) $50,000; C) $150,000; D) $500,000 or E) $1,000,000+ in new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $75; B) $125; C) $200; D) $500 or E) $1,000. Use promo code CASH2017RSP when signing up. As an added bonus, Credential Direct will donate an amount equivalent to 10% of the bonus paid out to United Way. 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 back will be deposited week of October 9, 2017. Credential Direct Cash Back Promotion March 16, 2017
Open and fund a new account by March 31st with at least A) $20,000 or B) $100,00+ and you may qualify to receive up to either A) $500 or B) $1000 in commission reimbursements. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full offer details. A) $20,000 – $99,999 B) $100,000+ A) up to $500 commission reimbursements B) up to $1000 commission reimbursements 90 days National Bank Direct Brokerage Cash Back Promotion March 31, 2017
Open and fund a new account with Qtrade Investor with a deposit of at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000; D) $250,000; E) $500,000 or F) $1,000,000 or more and you may be eligible to receive a cash back bonus of A) $25; B) $50; C) $100; D) $250; E) $500 or F) $1,000. 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 – $499,999 E) $500,000 – $999,999 F) $1,000,000+ A) $25 B) $50 C) $100 D) $250 E) $500 F) $1,000 Cash back will be deposited by July 31, 2017. Qtrade Investor Cash Back Bonus February 28, 2017
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 A) 50; B) 100 or C) 200 commission-free trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full offer details A) $25,000 – $49,999 B) $50,000 – $99,999 C) $100,000+ A) 50 commission-free trades (max value: $500) B) 100 commission-free trades (max value: $1000) C) 200 commission-free trades (max value: $2000) April 28th, 2017 Commission charges will be credited the month following when the charge was incurred. TD Direct Investing 200 Commission-free Trade Offer March 31, 2017
Open and fund a new account with Scotia iTRADE with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000 or D) $250,000+ and you may be eligible to receive A) 75; B) 150; C) 200 or D) $250,000+ in commission-free trades. In addition, new clients will also receive FlightDesk active trading platform free for 90 days. Use promo code W17FT when signing up 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 (max value: $749.25) B) 150 (max value: $1498.50) C) 200 (max value: $1,998) D) 250 (max value: $2,497.50) 90 days Winter 2017 Free Trade Offer March 31, 2017
CIBC Investors Edge Open and fund a new account at CIBC Investor’s Edge with at least A) $50,000 or B) $100,000 and you may be eligible to receive A) $200 or B) $400 in cash back. Also, individuals who setup a regular investment plan may also be eligible to receive 50 commission-free equity trades. Be sure to read terms and conditions for more information. A) $50,000 – $99,999 B) $100,000+ A) $200 B) $400 +Bonus 50 commission-free trades for setting up Regular Investment Plan. Cash back will be deposited within 30 business days after account funding. Commission-free equity trades good for 60 days after setup of Regular Investment Plan. Cash Back & Free Trade Offer March 31, 2017
BMO InvestorLine Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine, and fund it with at least A) $100,000; B) $200,000 or C) $300,000+ in net new assets and you may be eligible to receive A) $200; B) $400 or C) $750 cash back. Use promo code PROMO750 when signing up to be eligible. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for more details on the offer. A) $100,000 – $199,999 B) $200,000 – $299,999 C) $300,000+ Cash back bonus A) $200 B) $400 C) $750 Cash back will be deposited the week of November 6, 2017. 2017 Winter Campaign April 2, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: Feb. 1, 2017 21:15 PT

Referral Promotions

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Incentive Structure Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Deposit Details Link Deadline
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
Scotia iTrade 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
BMO InvestorLine 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 45 days after minimum 90 day holding period(subject to conditions). BMO InvestorLine Refer-a-Friend June 30, 2017

Expired Offers
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit 30 days none none
Last Updated: Feb. 1, 2017 21:30 PT

Transfer Fee Promotions

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Minimum Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
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
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
Transfer $25,000 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 $25,000 Transfer Fee Rebate none
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
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
Transfer $25,000 or more to Virtual Brokers and they may cover up to $150 in transfer fees. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee promo tbd
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
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
Disnat 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 DisnatFlex. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo February 28, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: Feb. 1, 2017 21:30PT

Other Promotions

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Required Details Link Deadline
Credential Direct has partnered with Trend Micro to offer 50% off Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security. Use code “TrendCF” at checkout. n/a Trend Micro Special Offer Code none
Disnat Desjardins Online Brokerage, in conjunction with MoneyTalks, is offering 3 months of the “Inside Edge” investor information service to Desjardins Online Brokerage clients. Use promo code DESJ2016 during checkout to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for more information. n/a MoneyTalks Inside Edge Discount none
Existing RBC clients can redeem 20% more RBC reward points towards contributions to a registered or non-registered account as well as towards RBC Direct Investing commissions. n/a RBC Reward Points Bonus Offer March 1, 2017
Disnat 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
Scotia iTrade 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
Scotia iTrade Open and fund a new account with Scotia iTRADE with at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000; C) $100,000; D) $250,000; E) $500,000 or F) $1,000,000+ and you may be eligible to receive 50 commission-free trades plus A) 5,000; B) 7,500; C) 15,000 or D) 20,000; E) 25,000 or F) 50,000 travel points on an eligible Scotia travel points credit card. In addition, new clients will also receive FlightDesk active trading platform free for 90 days. Use promo code W17RP when signing up 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 – $499,999 E) $500,000 – $999,999 F) $1,000,000+ Scotia reward points offer March 31, 2017
Open a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 (for the Classic Commission Account) and you may be eligible to win a $250 gift card to the Apple store. Use promo code 250AGC2017 during sign up to be eligible. Residents of Quebec are not eligible for this contest. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $1,000 (Classic Commission Account) $250 Apple Gift Card Draw April 30, 2017
Open a new account with Virtual Brokers with a deposit of at least $1,000 (for the Classic Commission Account) or $5,000 (for the Commission Free Trading Account) and you may be eligible to receive a one-year subscription to access 5i Research. Use promo code 5iVB2016 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. $1,000 (Classic Commission Account); $5,000 (Commission Free Trading Account) 5i Research Offer March 31, 2017

Expired Offers
Last Updated: Feb. 17, 2017 21:15 PT
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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – January 27, 2017

Sometimes change is good. Sometimes it’s not. Either way for discount brokerages in Canada and the US, change, and more specifically the ability to navigate change, appears to be what will separate the winners from the rest of the crowd.

In this week’s roundup we take a look at the latest digital shift from one of Canada’s largest online brokerages to see how they’re changing elements to keep looking fresh. From there, we take a look at the details from two recent US online brokerage conference calls with a specific eye as to what online brokerages are working on for the future. As usual, we’ll wrap up the roundup with a look at what investors were talking about on social media as well as in the investing forums.

TD Direct Investing Website Gets Refresh

In more ways than one, the new reality for online investors and those that service them is dealing with change. As online brokerages increasingly evolve into technology companies, the need to be agile and responsive is greater than ever before. Their platforms need to keep up with the times, as do all of their websites, social media feeds, mobile apps and so on. More than just the technology, online brokerages also have to keep up with what an online investor looks like – not just those already in the markets, but those who are looking to get in too.

Over the past three years, there has been a noticeable evolution of the websites and marketing at most of Canada’s online brokerages. This month, there has been yet another website enhancement made from Canada’s largest bank-owned online brokerage – TD Direct Investing.

Looking back at the evolution of the TD Direct Investing story, one of the first important changes took place when TD Waterhouse switched to TD Direct Investing in late 2012.

In late 2015, TD Direct Investing then updated the front end of their website, modifying the look and feel of the brand to become more modern, not only in web design terms, but also in portraying what the ‘typical investor’ looks like. As part of a trend amongst the major Canadian banks, looking and feeling more appealing to everyday Canadians meant recognizing the diversity of what Canadians look like and what they support.

Now, in 2017, TD Direct Investing has updated their look and feel yet again in order to appear more modern and harmonize the brand experience the parent brand.

Screenshot of TD Direct Investing website 2017-01-27
Screenshot of TD Direct Investing website 2017-01-27

The front end of the TD Direct Investing section of the TD website, with the scroll features that tells the TDDI story, is remarkably familiar to many robo-advisor websites and borrows design elements that are found on other Canadian brokerage websites that use icons and the scroll-based design.

Clicking through the homepage, there are links that still point to pages that use the previous design standard as well as links that point to the newer look, signaling a gradual transition to a newer look and feel rather than a wholesale change. It is an interesting choice from a design point of view in that users see the old and new imagery and layouts within the same visit.

While the updated design does add an element of change, the key observation is that TD continues to use bold imagery of ordinary looking people. These may be stock images, however there is more thought in their selection that shows they’re conscientious about recognizing a more diverse-looking set of customers. Fortunately, TD Direct Investing is not alone in this regard. This is also true for a couple of TD Direct Investing’s bank-owned brokerage peers – BMO InvestorLine and RBC Direct Investing. With so much divisive rhetoric emerging from the US it’s nice to see Canadian banks being Canadian and embracing the portrait of an online investor as a mixture of men and women, old and young and all shades of skin colour.

On the Line

With markets making new all-time highs and a difficult to predict new president, there’s lots of uncertainty for investors on exactly how they’re going to approach trading this market. To get some insights, it was interesting to review the latest news coming out of US online brokerages’ earnings conference calls as they reported their quarterly earnings and spent time explaining their strategies and vision for 2017 as well as where they see investors headed during these uncertain times.

In the E*trade Financial conference call, one of the interesting priorities for them in the upcoming year will be in marketing. As we had mentioned in a previous weekly roundup, in a hypercompetitive marketplace, in particular in the online brokerage space, an increasing amount of focus will have to be paid to getting client acquisition and retention right. This means undertaking some bold but thoughtful marketing.

The comments made by E*Trade Financial’s CEO Karl Roessner during the most recent conference call certainly highlight that E*Trade will be focused on aggressively onboarding new clients, with the ever-prized active trader segment being of particular interest.

In conjunction with the strategy of acquiring new clients, it appears that E*Trade is also going to be undertaking major branding initiatives and enhancing their digital experience by upgrading their web presence. Like the recent moves observed by TD Direct Investing referenced above, the following quote signals that keeping the digital experience of E*Trade fresh and current is a key component to their marketing plans:

And at the top of a long list of initiatives is the re-launch of our brand. We’ve enjoyed phenomenal brand awareness, and we intend to build on that to reclaim our challenger position in the industry. Expect to see more around mid-year. In the meantime, we are working on updates to our website, including an overhaul to the look and feel, along with improved navigation.

Another conference call from an online brokerage took place this week, this time from TD Ameritrade. While also discussing the results of an integration with Scottrade, there were a number of interesting nuggets on the technology front revealed by TD Ameritrade.

For example, the launch of innovative integrations with Amazon’s Alexa (using the TD Ameritrade skill app) that enable individuals to get stock market updates points to a future where home automation or virtual assistants will meet the world of investing.

In addition, there was also some insight given on the social media monitoring tool, Social Signals, that helps investors look for investment opportunities based on what stocks individuals are talking about online – in particular on Twitter.

One of the most interesting perspectives, however, came from CEO Tim Hockey’s answer on the possible behaviour of retail investors heading into the next few months post-Trump’s election. Specifically, Hockey’s position is that DIY investors will be looking to reposition their portfolios given the new US President’s policies and initiatives. In particular, the comment that investors appear to be moving in a contrarian fashion – pulling money out on the big rallies, signals there’s some skepticism as to the valuation of the US markets and especially in the larger cap names.

While the US online brokerage marketplace is certainly distinct from Canada’s, there is clearly a view towards what the future may hold for the industry in Canada.

With regards to innovation, US brokerages such as TD Ameritrade are clearly developing the next generation of tools that DIY investors can use to monitor and potentially trade with. The race to bring in innovation to the DIY trading world reinforces the observation that online brokerages are going to have to become much more technology based than they already are, which may be easier said than done.

One potentially noteworthy comment by Interactive Brokers’ CEO Thomas Peterffy in their latest conference call probably should serve as a warning to online brokerages. Specifically, Peterffy was asked about why Interactive Brokers took the unusual step of payment of high amount of bonuses to employees at the end of Q4, to which Peterffy responded “It’s a very competitive world.”

Discount Brokerage Tweets of the Week

It was a tough week for online investors caught on the wrong side of a platform outage at Questrade illustrating once again that trading isn’t without its random risks. Mentioned this week were BMO InvestorLine, CIBC Investor’s Edge, Questrade, Scotia iTRADE & TD Direct Investing.

From the Forums

Cut it Out

This past week the firestorm of tweets on Questrade’s platform outage also extended to comments in reddit’s Personal Finance Canada thread in this post. Fortunately, Questrade also stepped in to the discussion to help let people know their options during an outage.

Unpleasant Exchange

In this post, from the RedFlagDeals.com investing forum, one user learned the hard lesson about currency conversions at online brokerages – namely that they can get expensive. Read on to find out how others can get around the extra fees related to currency conversions.

Into the Close

That’s a wrap on the first chaotic week of the Trump presidency and a record breaking week on the markets. For those trying to figure out where markets go from here, you may want to take the weekend off and simply remember that the trend is your friend until it ends. For all those celebrating the Lunar New Year  this weekend – happy New Year! And for those looking for something to celebrate – Monday isn’t here for another couple of days, make the most of it!