Once we receive a completed new account application form, the account is typically opened within two business days.

Funding your account using bill payment (preferred method) or electronic funds transfer (EFT) can take up to two business days.

The first step is to open a Qtrade Investor account. Once you have completed the new account application, you can complete the transfer form. If you need assistance completing these forms, please call us at 1.877.787.2330.

To transfer your account faster, please ensure that you sign the form and:

• Indicate whether you want the transfer to be "In-Cash" or "In-Kind" and whether you want to transfer all or only a part of your portfolio
• Include a copy of your most recent statement from the transferring institution

If you are already a Qtrade Investor client, simply login and use the online account transfer service.

Transferring assets from another brokerage typically takes between two to six weeks. The timeframe depends on how quickly the relinquishing institution processes the paperwork that it receives from Qtrade.

Qtrade Investor will reimburse your transfer-out fee up to $150 when transferring an account with a balance of $25,000 or more. For reimbursement, please mail or fax (604.484.2627) a copy of your statement from the transferring institution that shows the transfer charge to Qtrade Investor and indicate your Qtrade Investor account number.

No, we do not ask for a minimum initial deposit to open an account.

Yes, regulators require that we have a signature on file before we open a customer account.

No administration fee is charged if any of the following apply:

• You have at least $25,000 in assets as of the last business day of each calendar quarter. (Assets are based on the combined total in all accounts within the same client ID. As well, please advise us if you share a household with another Qtrade Investor client, because the combined total of accounts with the same address can qualify for the fee waiver.)
• You completed at least 2 commission-generating equity or option trades during the immediately preceding calendar quarter
• You completed at least 8 commission-generating equity or option trades during the immediately preceding 12 months
• You are 18-30 years of age and add $50 or more each month to your account by automatic pre-authorized contribution
• You have been a client for less than one calendar quarter

Otherwise, a $25 quarterly administration fee is charged for each client ID. A client ID can consist of one or more account types including cash and margin along with TFSA and other registered accounts.

A quarterly fee is charged for U.S. dollar registered accounts, and an annual fee is charged for formal trust accounts. For details, see our commission and fee schedule.

To automatically qualify for Investor Plus:

• Execute at least 150 online commission-generating equity or option trades during the immediately preceding calendar quarter; or
• Have at least $500,000 in assets across all accounts within the same client ID; and
• Sign up for eDocuments.

Margin is available for stocks that trade on senior stock exchanges in Canada and the U.S. (TSX, NYSE, Nasdaq and Amex) and are option-eligible. No margin is provided for OTCBB, pink sheets, TSX Venture or CSE stocks.

• Stocks trading for $5 and over
  margin: 30%
  margin loan: 70%
• Stocks trading for $3-$4.99
  margin: 50%
  margin loan: 50%
• Stocks trading for $2.99 or less
  ineligible for margin
• The margin requirement for uncovered index options is: 
  100% of the premium, plus the greater of:
    ‒  15% of the market value of the underlying position, less out-of-the-money amount, or
    ‒  5% of the market value of the underlying (call) / aggregate exercise (put).
  Subject to a maximum concentration $500,000 margin limit.
  

Guidelines

• To trade on margin, you need to have at least $2,000 in cash or marginable securities in your account.
• $10,000 equity is required for short selling, uncovered equity options and spread trading.
• $25,000 equity is required for uncovered index options.
• A margin account with a large margined holding in one security or one sector, and little or no diversification in other holdings or sectors, can be deemed to be "concentrated." As a result, the loan value of the security may be reduced.
• You cannot borrow against a single marginable stock to buy more of the same stock.
• You should leave a 10% margin cushion. Withdrawals below 10% margin may be allowed at the discretion of our credit department.

Our credit policy is available on our website under Customer Agreements and Disclosure Documents.