Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Wealthsimple launching zero-commission trading platform
Globe and Mail | Clare O’Hara | Aug 16, 2018
Wealthsimple Inc., Canada’s largest robo-adviser, is infiltrating the discount brokerage business with the launch of a new trading platform that will allow investors to buy, sell and track stocks and exchange-traded funds with commission-free trading.
The online portfolio manager – which manages more than $2.5-billion in assets and is predominately owned by investment giant Power Financial Corp. – is naming the platform Wealthsimple Trade. It’s a mobile app that will provide users access to unlimited zero-commission trades of more than 8,000 publicly traded stocks and ETFs listed on major Canadian and U.S exchanges.
At launch, securities can be bought and sold that are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, Canadian Securities Exchange, New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market.
“The options for stock trading in Canada aren’t great – traditional brokerages have high fees, the technology is dated and clunky, and the experience isn’t exactly user-friendly,” Mike Katchen, chief executive and co-founder of Wealthsimple, said in a statement. “We saw an opportunity to take the simple, human approach we’re known for and apply it to the trading experience.”
The platform is currently in a beta version and will soon be rolled out to users by invitation this month, followed by a wider, public launch later this year. The platform is available on iOS and Android systems and will include market and limit orders and a stock-watch list to monitor stocks without buying.
See: An investor’s guide to robo-advisors 2018
In 2017, 59.9 million trades were executed in the online brokerage channel in Canada and the average commission revenue earned per trade over that time frame was $10.07, according to the Retail Brokerage and Distribution Report by Strategic Insight.
Wealthsimple’s zero price tag for stock trading is a first in Canada and comes at a time when investor advocates have been pushing regulators for heightened fee transparency. The majority of Canada’s existing 15 discount brokerages charges between $6.95 to $9.99 a trade depending on the number of transactions an investor makes a month, while a handful of them offer zero-fee trades for exchange-traded funds. Prior to Wealthsimple Trade, Questrade offered one of the lowest fees on the Street at $4.95 a trade.
Similar to other discount brokerages, there is no minimum account size. Opening an account takes minutes – compared with some traditional platforms that can take over two weeks to process. Once they receive an invitation, current Wealthsimple clients – who now number more than 100,000 – can sign into the new app using their existing log-in.
In addition to letting users execute commission-free trades, the app will educate clients about investing and the risks associated with picking stocks, and encourage responsible investment behaviour.
Robo-advisers – also known as online portfolio managers or digital advisers – provide clients with a recommended investment portfolio predominantly made up of ETFs – all for much lower fees than usually offered by traditional financial advisers. The introduction of a trading platform that shifts away from predetermined portfolios of ETFs doesn’t mean Mr. Katchen believes there is more money to be made in buying and selling of stocks.
See: Fintech Frenzy: Hype or Reality? A Closer Look at 6 Key Sectors
“Our approach to investing hasn’t changed: The smartest way to grow your money long-term is to have a diversified, low-cost portfolio that tracks the market, contribute regularly, and stay the course,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean there’s no place for buying and selling individual stocks – as long as it’s done responsibly as part of a holistic financial plan.”
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The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with fintech, alternative finance, blockchain, cryptocurrency, crowdfunding and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
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November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Fundraising, Investing, Trading, Leadership, Competition, Human Capital, Health A Brokerage Race Beyond $0 Commissions On November 10, 2026, Webull Canada added Nasdaq Basic Canada, giving clients free real time Level 1 quote and trade data across Canadian listed equities. The feed provides best bid, best offer and last sale information for stocks listed on the TSX, TSX Venture, CSE and Cboe Canada. Nasdaq says its consolidated feed can reduce Level 1 market data costs by more than 60% compared with traditional Canadian data packages. Webull isn't first to give Canadian investors free real time information. The more interesting story is how quickly another paid feature is becoming part of the basic brokerage account. Wealthsimple helped normalize $0 trading in 2019, Questrade followed in 2025 and Webull dropped its own commissions in April 2026. With the headline trading fee largely gone, brokers now need other reasons for investors to move money and keep it on the platform. Who Led Canada’s Race To $0 Trading And Free Market Data Wealthsimple Trade launched nationally on March 13, 2019 with $0 commissions on Canadian and U.S. stocks and ETFs. Questrade removed commissions on listed stocks and ETFs ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding A Toronto Fintech Riskfuel Analytics Brings AI Pricing Into BBVA’s Global Markets Workflow On November 10, 2026, BBVA deployed Riskfuel Analytics' neural pricing technology inside the pre-trade structuring workflow for autocallable products on its ePricer platform. Riskfuel is a Toronto fintech founded in 2019 that builds AI models for derivatives pricing. BBVA is a global bank with a large corporate and investment banking business. The deployment puts Canadian built AI directly into the calculations used to design complex structured products at a major global bank. Riskfuel's model is trained on BBVA's own pricing engine and uses more than 4,000 market and product inputs. The company says the surrogate was tested against more than 100,000 trades and can evaluate thousands of candidate structures in under a minute. BBVA had already added AI generated investment ideas to ePricer in September. Riskfuel goes further into the workflow by speeding up the numerical pricing work while BBVA's own model remains the reference. How Riskfuel Speeds Up BBVA's Autocallable Pricing Autocallables can depend on volatility, interest rates, dividends, maturity, coupon levels and several barrier conditions. Autocallables are structured investments ...
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