Zero-commission trading
Buy and sell Canadian and US stocks and ETFs completely free. No hidden fees, no commissions. What big banks charge $9.95 for, Wealthsimple does for $0.
Canada's favourite investing app wants to give you $25 in free cash just for signing up and depositing any amount. All you need is a referral code.
How it works
The whole process takes about 5–10 minutes. Here's exactly what to do to get your Wealthsimple referral bonus.
Head to wealthsimple.com/invite/_Y024Q. This automatically links your new account to the referral code, so no copy-pasting needed.
Sign up with your email, verify your identity with a photo ID and a quick selfie. Most people finish in under 5 minutes. Open any eligible account: Self-Directed Investing, Managed, Crypto, or Chequing.
Already signed up without the link? No problem. Tap the 🎁 icon on your Wealthsimple home screen and enter _Y024Q. You have 7 days after your first deposit to add it retroactively.
Transfer any amount from your external bank (RBC, TD, BMO, Scotiabank, credit union) within 30 days of signing up. Must be new money from outside Wealthsimple.
Your $25 cash bonus lands in your Wealthsimple Chequing account within 24 hours of your deposit settling. It goes to Chequing so it doesn't eat into your TFSA or RRSP contribution room.
Why Wealthsimple?
Wealthsimple is Canada's largest online brokerage and it's not just for investing. Banking, crypto, tax filing, and retirement planning all live in one beautifully designed app.
Buy and sell Canadian and US stocks and ETFs completely free. No hidden fees, no commissions. What big banks charge $9.95 for, Wealthsimple does for $0.
Not sure where to start? Wealthsimple Managed builds you a diversified ETF portfolio based on your risk tolerance and automatically rebalances it. Set it and forget it.
Trade Bitcoin, Ethereum, and dozens of other cryptocurrencies in the same app, no separate wallet required. You can even stake eligible assets for extra returns.
Earn up to 2.25% interest on your everyday cash, far more than the average big bank savings account. Plus a prepaid Mastercard with 0% foreign transaction fees.
Invest in expensive stocks like Amazon or Shopify starting at just $1. Fractional shares let you build a diversified portfolio on any budget whatsoever.
Your cash deposits are CDIC-insured up to $1,000,000, ten times the $100K protection most big banks offer. Your money is in safe hands.
Wealthsimple Tax lets millions of Canadians file their returns completely free. It won't disqualify you from the referral bonus either, using Tax alone doesn't count.
Clean, fast, and genuinely easy to use. Whether you're checking your portfolio or sending an e-transfer, the Wealthsimple app earns top marks from users across Canada.
Premium and Generation clients get instant deposit access up to certain limits, so no more waiting 3 business days to act on market opportunities when they appear.
Account types
Whether you're saving for retirement, your first home, or your child's education, Wealthsimple has the right registered account for you. All of them qualify for the referral bonus.
Grow and withdraw tax-free, anytime. Canada's most popular account for everyday wealth-building.
Reduce your tax bill today and grow investments tax-deferred until retirement. Great for higher earners.
First Home Savings Account. Save up to $40,000 tax-free toward your very first property.
Save for education and collect the Canada Education Savings Grant, free government money for your kids.
No contribution limits. Trade stocks, ETFs, and more beyond your registered account room.
Holding companies and small businesses can invest too, on the same great platform with the same low fees.
How it compares
For most Canadians, especially those just getting started, Wealthsimple's combination of $0 commissions, a generous sign-up bonus, and built-in banking makes it the clear choice.
| Feature | Wealthsimple ✦ | Questrade | Big Banks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock trading fee | $0 | $4.95–$9.95 | $6.95–$29 |
| Account minimum | $0 | $1,000 | $0–$25,000 |
| $25 sign-up bonus | ✅ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| Built-in crypto | ✅ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| High-interest banking | Up to 2.25% | ✗ No | 0.01–0.5% |
| Fractional shares | ✅ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
| CDIC deposit insurance | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $100,000 |
| Free tax filing | ✅ Yes | ✗ No | ✗ No |
In depth
Got questions? Here's a plain-English breakdown of how the bonus works, who qualifies, and why Wealthsimple is worth it far beyond just the $25.
It's a unique Wealthsimple invite code that gives brand-new members a $25 CAD cash bonus. Using the direct link wealthsimple.com/invite/_Y024Q automatically applies it, so no copy-pasting required at sign-up.
Once you deposit any qualifying amount from an external bank within 30 days, your $25 arrives in your Wealthsimple Chequing account within 24 hours. No waiting weeks, no complicated requirements.
You need to be a brand-new Wealthsimple client, meaning someone who has never before opened or funded a Self-Directed Investing, Crypto, Managed, or Chequing account with Wealthsimple.
Good news for Wealthsimple Tax users: Filing your taxes with Wealthsimple Tax does NOT disqualify you. The "new client" rule only applies to investment and banking products, not the tax filer.
You must be a legal Canadian resident and the age of majority in your province. Quebec and non-Quebec residents are generally both eligible.
This is actually a really smart design choice. If Wealthsimple deposited your $25 into a TFSA or RRSP, it would permanently count as a contribution and eat into your registered account room.
By depositing to Chequing, you get the full $25 with zero impact on your registered account limits. If you don't have a Chequing account yet, Wealthsimple gives you time to open one. It's free and takes about 2 minutes.
Absolutely. Wealthsimple is Canada's largest online brokerage, regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO). Investment accounts are protected by the CIPF up to $1 million per category.
Cash in Chequing is CDIC-insured up to $1,000,000, ten times what most big banks offer. Wealthsimple also uses 256-bit encryption, two-factor authentication, and biometric login. Millions of Canadians trust it with their retirement savings.
Yes, you need just $1 from an external bank account to trigger your $25 bonus. "External" means from outside the Wealthsimple ecosystem. A transfer from RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, or any Canadian credit union works perfectly.
Internal Wealthsimple transfers or Wealthsimple bonus funds do not count as qualifying deposits.
All new users start at Core, completely free, with full access to every Wealthsimple product and your referral bonus included.
Premium ($100K+ in assets): Higher interest rate on Chequing, lower FX conversion fees, priority support. Generation ($500K+): Maximum 2.25% interest rate, dedicated financial advisor access.
The Household feature lets two people at the same address combine their balances to hit a higher tier together. Complete privacy is maintained and neither can see the other's individual balances.
FAQ
Here are the most common questions from Canadians looking to claim the Wealthsimple sign-up bonus or understand how the referral program works.
Join over 3 million Canadians on Wealthsimple and pocket your welcome bonus while you're at it. Commission-free investing, high-interest banking, and crypto, all in one app.