Wealthsimple Referral Code 2026: $25 Sign-Up Bonus Explained

If you’re opening a Wealthsimple Trade account in 2026, the referral bonus is essentially free money — $25 cash for funding $100 and holding it for 30 days. Here’s exactly how it works and how to claim it.

How the bonus works

Wealthsimple Trade’s referral program credits new Canadian users with $25 in cash when they:

1. Sign up via a referral link (not a direct sign-up at wealthsimple.com)
2. Fund the account with at least $100 within 30 days of opening
3. Hold the funded amount for 30 days (you can deploy it into stocks/ETFs immediately — Wealthsimple just tracks that your account stayed funded)

The bonus credits as cash to your Wealthsimple account roughly 30–35 days after sign-up.

You can then:

• Invest the $25 in stocks or ETFs (effectively a free first share)
• Withdraw it to your bank account
• Leave it earning interest in your Wealthsimple Cash account

There’s no clawback. Once credited, it’s yours.

Reader offer

Wealthsimple Trade

$25 cash bonus when you fund $100 within 30 days

Claim the $25 bonus →

Account opening takes 10–15 minutes online. No minimum balance required to open — minimum to qualify for the bonus is $100.

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.

Eligibility checklist

To qualify, you need:

• Canadian residency — must reside in Canada to open Wealthsimple Trade
• Age 18+ (or 19+ in NB, NS, NL, BC, NT, NU, YT)
• Canadian government-issued ID (driver’s licence, passport, etc.)
• SIN (Social Insurance Number)
• First-time Wealthsimple Trade customer — if you’ve ever had a Trade account, you don’t qualify

You don’t need a credit check, employment verification, or minimum income.

Step-by-step: how to claim

1. Click an active referral link to start the sign-up. Direct sign-ups at wealthsimple.com do NOT qualify for the bonus.

2. Enter your details — name, address, SIN, occupation, citizenship. About 10 minutes.

3. Verify your identity. Wealthsimple uses Equifax-based verification — most users are auto-verified instantly. If not, upload a photo of your driver’s licence or passport.

4. Choose your first account — TFSA is recommended for most beginners. RRSP, FHSA, and non-registered are all available.

5. Set up funding. Link your Canadian chequing account. The first deposit can be Interac e-Transfer (instant, up to $1,500) or bank transfer (1–3 days, no limit).

6. Fund at least $100 within 30 days. Most users fund $200–$1,000 to start; only $100 is required for the bonus.

7. Hold for 30 days. You can immediately invest the funded amount in stocks/ETFs — the “holding” requirement just means the cash equivalent stays in your account. Selling and re-buying within 30 days is fine.

8. Bonus credits ~30–35 days after sign-up. It appears as cash in your Wealthsimple account.

What to do with the $25 bonus

Most useful options:

• Buy fractional shares of XEQT. $25 of Canada’s most-recommended starter ETF. The bonus literally becomes your first investment.
• Buy fractional shares of VFV. Pure S&P 500 exposure for ~$25.
• Leave it in Wealthsimple Cash. Earns interest while you decide.
• Withdraw it. Free money to your bank account.

For most new investors: buy XEQT with the $25 and let it ride. It’s literally a free starter portfolio.

What the referrer gets

The person whose referral link you used receives a smaller bonus when you qualify. This doesn’t reduce your $25 — Wealthsimple pays both sides of the referral. There’s no economic reason to avoid using a referral link; you only lose $25 by signing up direct.

Common reasons people don’t get the bonus

1. Funded less than $100. Even $99 doesn’t qualify. Round up.
2. Withdrew funds before the 30-day hold ended. The funded amount must stay in the account.
3. Already had a Wealthsimple Trade account. Even closed accounts disqualify.
4. Signed up direct without a referral link. No referral link = no bonus.
5. Used a different email/name than ID verification. Causes flags. Use your real legal name and primary email.

Other Wealthsimple bonuses to know about

The $25 sign-up bonus is the entry-level offer. Wealthsimple periodically runs additional promotions:

• Transfer bonus. Transfer a TFSA, RRSP, or non-registered account from another institution to Wealthsimple. Up to 1% of the transferred value (capped at varying amounts). Wealthsimple usually reimburses the $50–$150 transfer-out fee from the losing institution.
• Large deposit promotions. Occasionally Wealthsimple matches a percentage of new deposits above a threshold ($10K+, $50K+).
• Premium upgrade bonuses. Annual bonus tiers for Wealthsimple Premium ($10/mo) or Generation tiers.

These stack with the $25 sign-up bonus when running. Check Wealthsimple’s promotions page directly for current offers.

Read next

• Wealthsimple Trade Review — full platform breakdown
• Is Wealthsimple legit? — safety and regulation
• How to invest in Canada — using your funded account
• Wealthsimple vs Questrade — broker comparison