Finance Simulator🍁 Canadian · referral offer
Wealthsimple referral code:
$25 bonus + 1% transfer match
Wealthsimple's current referral offer is refreshingly simple: $25 just for opening an account and depositing $100, plus a 1% match if you transfer in $25,000 or more from another institution. Here's exactly how to claim both, what they're really worth, how Wealthsimple stacks up against other Canadian brokers, and what to watch for before you move your money. Fund $100, get $25. Transfer in $25,000 or more and a 1% match applies too.
- Tap: the app store (or your app) opens
- Sign up: your code carries through
- Fund $100: $25 lands in Chequing
Already have a Wealthsimple account? See what is still possible
How to claim the bonus
- Open the referral link. The code 3JNWOG attaches to your account automatically, so there's no code field to fill in by hand. On a phone the link opens the app store so you can install the Wealthsimple app, and the code carries through the installation. If you already have the app, the link opens it; check Invite friends in the app to see whether the code was applied.
- Create your account. Takes a few minutes: basic ID info and a way to fund it.
- Fund at least $100 from outside Wealthsimple within 30 days of signing up, into any account type (TFSA, RRSP, FHSA, or non-registered). A deposit from your bank counts, and so does an account transfer from another institution. Moving money between your own Wealthsimple accounts does not.
- The $25 bonus is paid into your Chequing account, usually within about a day of your funding being processed. You need a Wealthsimple Chequing account in good standing to receive it. If you don't have one when the bonus is issued, you're notified and have 90 days to open one before the bonus is forfeited.
- Optional: transfer an existing account. If you have a TFSA or RRSP elsewhere, the 1% match applies to transfers that total $25,000 or more, paid as 24 monthly payments into your Chequing account. Register for the match first (look for the 1% Match invite in your Wealthsimple app or web account), then start the transfer. Transfers started before you register don't qualify. You have 30 days after registering to initiate them, and the funds must arrive within 90 days after that. Check the in-app offer for the current terms before you start, since these change periodically.
A $25 bonus on a $100 deposit works out to a 25% instant return before you've invested a cent. The 1% transfer match is separate and only starts at $25,000: moving a $30,000 TFSA would earn $300, paid as $12.50 a month over 24 months, as long as you register for the match before you start the transfer.
Already have a Wealthsimple account? The referral bonus is for new clients, but if you only just funded yours you can still add a code: in the app, tap the gift icon, then Invite friends, then Enter referral code. Wealthsimple only shows that option if you funded the account within the last 7 days, and your 30-day funding period then starts, backdated to cover that first deposit. After that, contact Wealthsimple support, who may be able to set it up by hand but can't guarantee it.
What you can stack
Three separate offers, each with its own rules (as of October 2026)
| Offer | What it takes, and how it's paid |
|---|---|
| $25 referral bonus | Takes: a new account opened through the link, funded with at least $100 from outside Wealthsimple within 30 days. Paid: $25 each, into your Chequing account, usually within about a day of the funding being processed. |
| 1% transfer match | Takes: register for it first, then transfer $25,000 or more from another Canadian institution (initiate the transfers within 30 days of registering). Paid: 1% of the amount, as 24 equal monthly payments into Chequing. |
| Transfer-fee refund | Takes: an account transfer of $25,000 or more from a single account. Paid: Wealthsimple reimburses one transfer-out fee per account from your old institution. |
Which account should you fund?
Any new account you fund with $100 earns the same $25, so choose the one you'd open anyway. A Chequing account counts too: Wealthsimple lists it as eligible, and you need one to receive the bonus.
- TFSA. Tax-free growth and flexible withdrawals. A common first account.
- FHSA. For a first home: contributions are deductible and qualifying withdrawals are tax-free.
- RRSP. A deduction now, with withdrawals taxed later. Best when your tax rate today is higher than it will be in retirement.
- Non-registered. No limits and no tax shelter. Usually the last stop.
Not sure which comes first? TFSA vs RRSP compares them using your income.
Mistakes that can cost you the bonus
The fine print people skip, condensed
- Funding the account before adding a code. Depositing first and applying a referral code afterward only works inside Wealthsimple's short retroactive window (see above), so it's simpler to follow the referral link first, before you fund anything.
- Depositing less than $100, or missing the 30-day window. Both the amount and the timing are conditions of the sign-up bonus, so a partial or late deposit can disqualify it.
- Funding from inside Wealthsimple. Only money that comes from outside Wealthsimple counts toward the $25. Moving cash between your own Wealthsimple accounts, or using a Wealthsimple bonus or promotional credit, does not. A deposit from your bank, or an account transfer from another institution, does.
- Starting the transfer before registering for the match. The 1% match requires you to register first, through the invite in your Wealthsimple app or web account. A transfer you start before you register doesn't qualify, so open the account, register, then transfer.
- Not having a Chequing account. The bonus is paid into a Wealthsimple Chequing account. If you don't have one when it's issued, you have 90 days to open one, and after that the bonus is forfeited.
- Withdrawing the bonus right away. Wealthsimple's terms say the bonus has to stay in your Wealthsimple accounts for 180 days from the day it's applied. Take it out sooner and it can be deducted from your final withdrawal or otherwise recovered.
What Wealthsimple actually costs
| Wealthsimple | |
|---|---|
| Stock & ETF trades (CAD) | $0 commission |
| US stock/ETF currency conversion | ~1.5% FX spread without a USD account |
| TFSA / RRSP / FHSA account fees | $0 to open or hold |
| XEQT (all-equity ETF) management fee | 0.17% management fee (0.19% MER), charged by the ETF itself |
| Managed portfolio fee | 0.50% (Core) or 0.40% (Premium), from 0.40% down to 0.20% for Generation, set by how much you hold with Wealthsimple. Automated Investing is 0.25%, capped at $250 a year. |
| Account transfer-out fee (if you ever leave) | $0: Wealthsimple doesn't charge to transfer out |
If you're searching for the XEQT management fee specifically: it's an ETF-level cost set by the fund provider (0.17% a year, or 0.19% all-in as the MER), not something Wealthsimple adds on top. Buying and holding XEQT yourself through self-directed trading still costs $0 in commissions.
How Wealthsimple compares
Self-directed CAD stock & ETF trading, at a glance
| Broker | Stock/ETF trades | Account fees | Sign-up bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wealthsimple | $0 | $0 | Yes, this page |
| Questrade | $0 (since Feb 2025) | $0 | Often, varies |
| Qtrade | $0 | $0 with minimum balance | Occasional |
| TD Direct Investing | ~$9.99/trade | Possible inactivity fee | Rare, bank-tied |
Broker pricing changes without much notice, so treat this as a starting point and confirm current rates directly with each provider before deciding.
Is Wealthsimple safe?
Investment accounts are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) up to $1 million CAD per category if the firm itself fails. That protects against the brokerage going under, not against your investments losing value in a normal market decline. Cash held in a Wealthsimple Chequing account is held in trust at partner banks and is eligible for CDIC deposit insurance, up to $100,000 per beneficiary at each bank. Wealthsimple states that spreading funds across at least 10 partner banks lets up to $1,000,000 benefit. Wealthsimple itself is not a CDIC member. Wealthsimple says it's trusted by over 4 million Canadians (its homepage, checked Oct 12, 2026).
For most people opening a first TFSA or RRSP, yes. The $25 is close to free money for something you'd likely do anyway, and $0 commissions mean the account costs nothing to hold. The transfer match is the bigger number for anyone moving $25,000 or more from elsewhere: it scales with balance, so it's worth checking even if the $25 alone doesn't move the needle for you.
One thing to check first: investing comes after paying off high-interest debt and building an emergency fund. The money order of operations shows which step you're on.
Finance Simulator's Invest tab projects TFSA, RRSP and FHSA growth on your real numbers, shows your contribution room, and estimates take-home pay by province. Free, no account, nothing sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
What is Wealthsimple's referral code?
3JNWOG. It attaches automatically to any account opened through a referral link such as wealthsimple.com/invite/3JNWOG, so there's no field to type it into during sign-up. Fund at least $100 from outside Wealthsimple within 30 days of using it to unlock the $25 bonus.
What is the current Wealthsimple sign-up bonus?
A $25 cash bonus for opening a new account and funding at least $100 from outside Wealthsimple within 30 days. It is paid into your Wealthsimple Chequing account, usually within about a day of the funding being processed, and you need a Chequing account to receive it. The bonus has to stay in your Wealthsimple accounts for 180 days or it can be recovered. This is a referral bonus and is separate from any promotion Wealthsimple runs itself.
How do I use a Wealthsimple promo code?
You don't type one in. Following a referral link like wealthsimple.com/invite/3JNWOG attaches the code automatically to the account you create. On a phone the link opens the app store so you can install the Wealthsimple app, and the code carries through the installation. If you already have the app, the link opens it; check Invite friends in the app to see whether the code was applied.
I already have a Wealthsimple account. Can I still add a code?
Sometimes. The referral bonus is for new clients, but if you funded your account within the last 7 days you can still add a code: in the Wealthsimple app, tap the gift icon, then Invite friends, then Enter referral code. Wealthsimple only shows that option within 7 days of your first funding, and your 30-day funding period then starts, backdated to cover that first deposit. After that, Wealthsimple support may be able to set it up manually but can't guarantee it. These rules can change, so confirm in the app's Rewards Centre.
What is the Wealthsimple transfer match?
A 1% cash bonus on investments you move to Wealthsimple from another Canadian institution, such as an RRSP or TFSA, if your transfers total $25,000 or more. You have to register for it first, through the invite in your Wealthsimple app or web account (or from a Wealthsimple representative), because transfers started before you register don't qualify. You then have 30 days to start the transfers, and the funds must arrive within 90 days after that. It is paid as 24 equal monthly payments into a Wealthsimple Chequing account. Keep your starting balance plus at least 80% of what you transferred at Wealthsimple for 730 days after the qualification window; withdrawing beyond that reduces the remaining payments. Wealthsimple reimburses one transfer-out fee per account from your old institution when that account's transfer is $25,000 or more. These are the terms as of October 2026; check the current terms before you transfer.
Can I stack the referral bonus with other Wealthsimple promotions?
Generally yes. The $25 referral bonus and the transfer match reward different actions (a first deposit vs. moving $25,000 or more from another institution), so both can apply to the same new account, and Wealthsimple's terms list the referral promotion as combinable with the match. Seasonal promotions Wealthsimple runs itself have their own separate terms, so check the current in-app offer before assuming a stack applies.
What counts as funding for the bonus?
Money that comes in from outside Wealthsimple: a deposit from your bank, or an account transfer from another institution, as long as the total is at least $100. Moving money between your own Wealthsimple accounts, or using a Wealthsimple bonus or promotional credit, does not count. A transfer of $25,000 or more can also earn the separate transfer match, if you register for it before you start the transfer.
Is my money protected?
Investment accounts are CIPF-protected up to $1 million CAD per category against firm insolvency; cash held in a Wealthsimple Chequing account is held in trust at partner banks and is CDIC-eligible, up to $100,000 per bank. Neither protects against normal market losses.
My $25 bonus hasn't shown up. What should I do?
Wealthsimple says the bonus is paid into your Chequing account within about 24 hours of your qualifying funding being processed. First check that the money came from outside Wealthsimple, that it was at least $100, and that you have a Chequing account. Then open the app, tap the gift icon, then Invite friends, then Referral history, to see whether the referral was recorded. If it wasn't, contact Wealthsimple support.
Can I withdraw the $25 bonus right away?
Not without risk. Wealthsimple's terms say the bonus has to stay in your Wealthsimple accounts for 180 days from the day it's applied. If you take it out sooner, it can be deducted from your final withdrawal or otherwise recovered.
Is this site affiliated with Wealthsimple?
No. Finance Simulator is an independent, free Canadian finance calculator. The link on this page is my own Wealthsimple client referral link, so when you open and fund an account through it, we each get $25. It doesn't change what you pay Wealthsimple, and it's labelled as a referral.
Does Wealthsimple charge fees on stocks and ETFs?
$0 commission on Canadian-dollar stock and ETF trades. Buying US-listed securities without a USD account adds a roughly 1.5% currency conversion spread. ETFs like XEQT carry their own management fee (0.17% for XEQT) set by the fund provider, separate from Wealthsimple's own pricing.
Sources
Checked against Wealthsimple's published terms and help articles, Nov 3, 2026
- Wealthsimple Referral Bonus Promotion 2026 (terms)
- Confirm your referral (help article)
- Wealthsimple 1% Match 2026 (terms)
- Fee schedule for Trade accounts
- Managed Investing fee schedule
- XEQT fact sheet, August 2026 (BlackRock)
Where this page and Wealthsimple's own terms disagree, the terms win.
Bonus amounts, transfer-match percentages, and fees reflect Wealthsimple's publicly posted terms as of October 2026 and are subject to change without notice, so confirm current terms on Wealthsimple's site before acting. This page is educational and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. See the terms of use.