Online brokerage promotions in May were slim except for one bank-owned brokerage which is leaning into lowering interest rates on margin lending at a time when rates are rising. Get the latest news on online brokerage offers and why there are likely to be more deals on the horizon as competition intensifies..

What can beginner investors expect from your firm? At National Bank Direct Brokerage, young and new investors are cared for and guided from the very beginning of their experience. As with all our customers, they will pay zero commissions on stocks and ETFs, and if they are under 30 years old, there are no annual administration fees.   […]

Deals and promotions are important tools for online brokerages to continue to attract attention of online investors

Established or larger players may not have to rely on them because they have already invested in advertising and there is some level of awareness

Newer or smaller online brokerages will almost certainly need to get creative with new account promotions

This mega-edition of the Weekly Roundup features in-depth reviews of Canadian online brokerages in 2021. Be sure to check out the analysis of the Look Back / Look Ahead feature for the top online brokerage trends for 2021 and 2022. Also, we highlight the biggest news from Canadian online brokerages in 2021. Tune in for great memes and important themes!

If you thought 2021 was an eventful year (and it was!) at Canada’s online brokerages, wait until you see what’s in store for 2022. In this milestone issue of the Look Back / Look Ahead series, we hear from leaders at Canadian online brokerages about what they saw as the biggest highlights, as well as what they’re working on to impress self-directed investors in the next year. Also, we’ve got the scoop on four new online brokerages moving into the commission-free trading game.

More big news unfolding on the zero-commission trading front. We explore the latest move by Desjardins Online Brokerage as well as comments from TD Direct Investing on the move to eliminate commissions. Also, there are more new features available on SparxTrading.com to help self-directed investors research investor feedback on online brokerages and scan deals and promos more efficiently.

The big news this week: National Bank Direct Brokerage dropped their commissions to zero, ushering in a new chapter in the Canadian online brokerage industry. Find out more and for a view on where things go next.

Even with the Robinhood IPO likely to take the spotlight, we dive into the latest earnings announcement from Interactive Brokers and fish out some interesting features that are flying under the news radar. Also, we look at some of the ups and downs at Canadian online brokerages this past week.

It’s a big news week for online brokerages. In Canada, check out the latest online broker promos and get insights on the current offers and what they mean for DIY investors. Also, the highly anticipated Robinhood IPO is almost here. See what we learned by digging deeper into the documentation.

A commission price drop from a bank-owned online brokerage is adding to the pressure for other Canadian brokerages to lower rates. Deal activity might be springing back to life soon, which is good news for DIY investors.

Many offers from Canadian bank-owned online brokerages will expire in early March however Wealthsimple Trade has launched a new contest linked to their referral offer.

Just because the month is short, doesn’t mean we can’t be long on fun! From Lunar New Year to Valentine’s Day to Family Day, there is much cause for celebration – with safe social distancing in mind, of course. Another reason for DIY investors to rejoice: there’s still time to meet the RRSP contribution deadline […]

What can beginner investors expect from your firm?At National Bank Direct Brokerage, beginner investors are taken care of and guided from the very beginning of their experience. For young and not-so-young, we are the place to start investing in ETFs with $0 commissions. We support them with an ETF Centre, an easy-to-use filter tool and […]

Update: January 8 Cheers to 2021! While 2020 marked a year full of surprise and change – both inside and outside the DIY investing space – we believe it is safe to say we are all ready for a fresh start. To help you ring in the new year and celebrate in (financial) style, Sparx […]

Take a deep breath. Believe it or not, December is here, and with it, news of several COVID-19 vaccines, stock markets making record highs, and hope on the horizon. Certainly not a coincidence. Another non-coincidence at this time of year is the appearance of special treats and the idea of wrapping things up with a […]

After making it through 2020, there are few things that would count as truly surprising anymore. Between COVID-19, the wild US presidential election and everything else that has unfolded this past year, 2021 can’t come fast enough for many of us. For Canadian DIY investors and Canada’s online brokerages, despite a wild year of volatility, […]

Update: December 18 After what has simultaneously felt like the fastest yet slowest year ever, we have finally made it to December! In true holiday fashion, Sparx Trading is here to spread old-fashioned cheer and merry updates as we take a (cautious and socially distanced) step into the final month of 2020.  Bargain-hunting DIY investors […]

Update: November 27 Daylight isn’t the only thing being saved this as we enter the month of November. It seems like DIY investors are also in for some savings too. Like adjusting the clocks back, it’s going to take some getting used to online investing in November. With the US presidential election likely to shape […]

Update: October 30 October is generally a spooky month for several reasons: The weather is colder, the sky is gloomier, and, of course, there’s Halloween at the end of the month.   In true 2020 fashion, October is predicted to unveil some more than a few tricks and even a few treats from Canadian discount brokerages, […]

Update: September 18 Although it feels like we’ve barely had enough time to enjoy the simple pleasures of summer this year, the end of the season is now just around the corner. As 2020 progresses, DIY investors continue to be met with market volatility. In fact, as we release this month’s discount brokerage deals and […]