Temperatures aren’t the only things rising this summer. Deals and promotions activity looks like it is heating up as commission-free trading has found its way into the larger bank-owned online brokers in one form or another.

Get answers to your burning questions about Desjardins Online Brokerage in our exclusive Q&A. Discover what investors can expect from this online brokerage, what trends they think will be important, and what sets them apart.

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

In this week’s Roundup, we look at the latest deals and promotions and what they reveal about opportunities for DIY investors to capture even more value when opening online trading accounts. Also, we dive into Interactive Brokers’ master class on continuing to grow their new accounts despite challenging conditions.

This month’s deals activity is unusual. What would normally be a quiet time for online brokerage promos has turned into a time of continued activity. Read more about the important deal extensions from RBC Direct Investing and Qtrade Direct Investing.

TD eased its way into commission-free trading with a mobile app-based offering called TD Easy Trade
TD Easy Trade is different and distinct from TD Direct Investing, the traditional online brokerage experience that many online investors are accustomed to
Despite offering 50 commission-free trades per year on Easy Trade and a mobile app-based experience, the feedback from many self-directed investors online was lukewarm because of restrictions on ETF purchases
Expectations for bank-owned online brokerages to get technology and service right are high because of the perceived resources and commission rates
Opportunities for new online brokerages to gain market share are there for those that can provide a best-in-class experience to a specific segment of investors

In this reboot to the Weekly Roundup, we took our cues from the biggest sporting events in the world to bring an exceptional edition filled with high degrees of difficulty to compare one of the most influential touchpoints of DIY investors making decisions on which online brokerage to choose: Canadian online brokerage rankings. Grab some snacks (maybe a coffee too), this is going to be a good one.

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.

The end of 2021 is just around the corner, and this edition of the Roundup switches gears to recap the big stories from online brokerages from earlier in the year. Also, we dig into the latest feature from Wealthsimple Trade.

Deal-cember is here for self-directed investors looking for online trading account promotions. Check out the latest updates on cash back promotions including new ones from Qtrade and Wealthsimple Trade, as well as big offers from bank-owned online brokers.

This week’s edition of the Roundup focuses on the new IMPACT app by Interactive Brokers, and how it could spur a new race to help investors make green by going green. Also, we sprinkle in some quick updates on security, mobile trading apps from online brokerages, and a tease on the upcoming Look Back/Look Ahead.

Check out the latest update on Canadian online brokerage promotions & offers, including the launch of a new cash back deal from CIBC Investor’s Edge and more!

October is already here, and with it, a new crop of deals and promotions from online brokerages. Also launching this fall season, a brand new mobile trading experience from Questrade, called QuestMobile, that didn’t quite hit the mark with investors. Read more about what investors had to say about the new trading experience.

This week’s Roundup features a review of what’s powering Interactive Brokers’ account growth stats higher and new features, like cryptocurrency trading, that are poised to add more momentum to this brokerage’s growth. Also, we review the upcoming Virtual Brokers rebrand and what it might signal for other Canadian online brokerages this fall.

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.

In focus this week, more online brokerage data. Check out a deep dive on the 2021 MoneySense online brokerage rankings, including an interesting discovery about the connection between commission pricing and service experience.

This Roundup features a big announcement on commission-free ETFs at BMO InvestorLine and the latest results from the Canadian online brokerage rankings. Dive into data and the latest trends emerging for DIY investors in this edition.

The DIY investing datapalooza continues this month. Check out the latest in-depth review of online brokerage pricing to find out which brokerages rank as the cheapest, and why measuring cost isn’t quite as simple as it sounds.

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.

It’s fitting that after so much discussion about “shorts” in the news, we also now have a short(er) trading week upon us. With one fewer trading day, it also means the deadline for RRSP contributions is ticking closer, adding to the pressure that is evidently already building at Canadian online brokerages this month. In this […]