Buy a stock or ETF

With a self-directed investing account, you can trade thousands of Canadian and U.S. stocks and ETFs. There are no trading commissions, no account minimums, and everyone has access to real-time, on-demand quotes for all securities.

Tip: If you upgrade to USD accounts, you can trade U.S. securities using U.S. Dollars inside a USD account. 

Eligibility criteria

You can buy or sell stocks, ETFs and select cryptocurrencies in a self-directed investing account as long as they meet our eligibility criteria. The stock or ETF must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • The asset is on an exchange we support (listed below).
  • The asset meets our settlement or average daily volume requirements.
  • The asset isn't delisted, suspended, or halted.

You can trade stocks and ETFs on the following exchanges:

  • Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX)
  • TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV)
  • New York Stock Exchange (NYSE)
  • NASDAQ
  • NEO
  • Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE)
  • BATS Exchange

Additionally, we don't support the following types of securities:

  • Mutual Funds
  • Preferred Shares
  • Securities that trade Over-the-counter (OTC)
  • Forwards & Futures
  • Rights and Warrants
  • Bonds
  • Investment Savings Accounts & Money Markets
  • Stocks & ETFs that trade on non-North American exchanges

Buy a stock or ETF

You can place an order to buy securities in your trading account by following the instructions below.

Web Wealthsimple app

Note: The securities showcased are for illustration purposes only and are not recommendations.

  1. Log in to your Wealthsimple account.
  2. In the Search name or symbol field at the top of the page, type in the name of the stock or ETF you'd like to buy.
  3. Select the stock or ETF you'd like to buy from the list.
    Screenshot 2024-05-22 at 12.19.31 PM.png
  4. Under Buy on the right side, select an Order type from the menu.
    Screenshot 2024-05-22 at 10.55.06 AM.png
  5. Fill out the required fields for the order type.
  6. Choose the Account to buy the stock or ETF in.  
    Screenshot 2024-05-22 at 10.57.28 AM.png
  7. Select Review.
  8. Confirm your purchase by selecting Submit.
  9. You'll see an Order submitted! message confirming your order was complete.

Note: The securities showcased are for illustration purposes only and are not recommendations.

  1. Sign into the Wealthsimple app on your mobile device.
  2. Tap the Discover tab at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Type in the name of the stock or ETF you'd like to buy in the search bar and select it from the list.
    Screenshot 2024-05-22 at 12.15.13 PM.png
  4. Tap Buy.
  5. Select your order type by selecting one of the options from the drop-down menu at the top of the screen.
    Screenshot 2024-05-22 at 9.59.23 AM.png
  6. Enter the number of shares you want to purchase, or tap Max to buy as many shares as you can afford.
  7. Choose the account where you want to purchase your stock or ETF by selecting one of the options from the drop-down menu.
    Screenshot 2024-05-22 at 10.03.00 AM.png
  8. Tap Review.
  9. Review the order details and tap Submit order.
Note: If you don’t see the stock or ETF you’re looking for, it might be because the security is not available to trade.

Choosing an order type

When you make an order in your trading account, you’re giving us instructions for how to trade a security on your behalf. There are four types of orders you can make within a trading account.

  • A market buy order (default)
    Buy a stock immediately at the best available price. 
  • A fractional buy order
    Buy a fraction of a share for certain stocks. Your order will be executed at the end of the trading day or next available trading day.
  • A limit buy order
    Choose a maximum price you're willing to pay to buy a stock.
  • A stop-limit buy order
    Choose a stop price and a limit price. Once a stock hits the stop price, your order will get converted to a limit order. People often use stop limit orders to try and limit losses or protect gains.

Buying a stock or ETF after the markets have closed

Markets are generally open from Monday to Friday between 9:30am – 4:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST). The markets are closed on certain holidays.

It’s possible to create an order outside of these times. Any orders created outside of market hours go into a queue that gets submitted when the market opens again. For example:

  • You submit a market order to buy 5 shares of XYZ stock on Wednesday at 8:00 pm (EST)
  • The order will get executed when the markets open on Thursday at 9:30 am (EST)
  • Any fractional orders will be executed at the end of the next trading day
Note: If you’re looking for Wealthsimple’s support opening hours, please visit our contact page.

How long does it take for trades to settle?

Trades take one full business day to settle after they are made. This means your cash balance will be different from your Available to trade and Available to withdraw balances right after you sell a security. This settlement period is a requirement of the Canadian Depository for Securities, Ltd.

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