CIBC Investor’s Edge Review 2025: A Reliable Discount Broker

Investing affordably is a top priority for many Canadians. With the rise of low-cost online brokerages, platforms like Wealthsimple and Questrade have gained traction. But Canada’s big banks, like CIBC, have also stepped up to compete—offering their own discount platforms.

Wealthsimple and Questrade have become two of the most popular online trading platforms offering low-cost investment solutions to Canadians. However, the major financial institutions in Canada are not willing to be left behind.

Several Canadian banks have also launched online brokerages to compete with non-banking platforms. I have used and reviewed several trading platforms in Canada over the years.

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Questrade

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In this CIBC Investor’s Edge review, I will tell you everything about the discount broker platform of one of the Big Five banks of Canada.

Our Verdict

CIBC Investor’s Edge

Trading Platform

CIBC Investor’s Edge is an online brokerage that offers a lower-cost solution for self-directed investors and traders in Canada.

Learn About CIBC Here

What Is CIBC Investor’s Edge?

CIBC Investor’s Edge is the brokerage arm of CIBC Investor Services Inc. and a subsidiary of CIBC bank. CIBC is one of the oldest and top financial institutions in the country. Founded in 1961, CIBC has over 44,000 employees and more than 10 million clients worldwide.

CIBC launched Investor’s Edge to compete with the rising number of non-banking online discount brokerage firms becoming popular among self-directed investors. The online trading platform is available on the App Store and Google Play Store as the “CIBC Mobile Wealth” app.

The Cost of Using CIBC Investor’s Edge

CIBC Investor’s Edge offers self-directed investors its products and services at a lower cost than traditional brokers do. 

CIBC Investor’s Edge also boasts a competitive fee structure among brokerage platforms owned by the Big Five Banks in Canada.

CIBC Investor’s Edge remains one of the more competitively priced discount brokerages among Canada’s Big Five banks. Its trading fees are lower than many traditional banking peers, especially for students and active traders.

Trading Fees:

• Equities: $6.95 per trade
• Students with a CIBC Smart™ Account: $5.95 per trade
• Active Traders (150+ trades/quarter): $4.95 per trade
• Options: $6.95 per trade + $1.25 per contract
• ETFs: Same rates as equities

Annual Fees:

• TFSA & RESP: No annual fee
• RRSP/LIRA: $100 annual fee waived if combined balances exceed $25,000
• Non-Registered Accounts: $100 annual fee waived if balance exceeds $10,000 or if you also hold a registered account

Margin Rates (as of 2025):

• CAD accounts: 8.50%
• USD accounts: 9.00%

These rates are subject to change and should be verified with the CIBC website.

Features and Benefits of CIBC Investor’s Edge

This section of my CIBC Investor’s Edge review will cover all the main features and benefits of the platform to give you a better idea of what you can expect if you choose to use it.

I will highlight the basic information that you should know, the cost you can expect for using the platform, and how it differs from its banking and non-banking peers in the industry.

Accounts Offered by CIBC Investor’s Edge

CIBC Investor’s Edge offers a broad range of account types you can open with the broker. You can use various account types to cater to different short- and long-term trading goals. The account types include most of the accounts you can expect to open with online brokers and traditional bank, including:

• Cash accounts
• Margin accounts
• Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)
• Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
• Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
• Locked-In Retirement Accounts (LIRA)
• Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF)
• Life Income Funds (LIF)
• Locked-In Retirement Savings Plan (LRSP)
• Locked-in Retirement Income Fund (LRIF)
• Prescribed Retirement Income Fund (PRIF)
• Non-registered personal accounts
• Non-personal accounts, including
  • Corporate account
  • Partnership account
  • Investment club
  • Formal trust
  • Estate account

You can access a wide range of investment assets using CIBC Investor’s Edge, including equity securities, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), options, mutual funds, Guaranteed Income Certificates (GICs), bonds, and precious metals certificates.

Platforms and Tools Offered by CIBC Investor’s Edge

CIBC Investor’s Edge is available through a mobile app called “CIBC Mobile Wealth” on the App Store and Google Play Store and through a web-based platform. You can use the platform to trade various investment assets like stocks, ETFs, options, and mutual funds listed on Canadian and U.S. exchanges.

The platform’s functionality gives you access to several features, including:

Advanced charting: Get access to advanced charting capabilities with multiple indicators that you can customize for better investment decisions.

Trade notifications and alerts: You will get notifications via emails that will confirm when your stock and option order trades have been completed.

Alerts: You will also be notified about price movements, technical events, news announcements, and research changes for securities that interest you.

Watch Lists: CIBC Investor’s Edge lets you create up to 20 customizable Watch Lists that you can use to track your portfolio’s performance and keep an eye on securities that you find interesting.

Daily market reports: You will receive daily market report emails that give you trade ideas based on technical events being monitored by the global leader in technical analysis, Recognia.

Research and investment education resources: CIBC Investor’s Edge gives you access to a daily newsletter from Trading Central that includes trade ideas and market information based on different industries. It also offers insights from the top investment experts from CIBC and other platforms.

CIBC Investor’s Edge also provides you with access to CIBC Learn, a comprehensive educational platform that serves as a rich resource of educational content covering various topics and product categories. Industry experts write the content to provide you with the information necessary to understand various topics related to investing.

Is CIBC Investor’s Edge Safe and Legit?

Yes, CIBC Investor’s Edge is safe and backed by the strength of CIBC—a Big Five bank in Canada. The brokerage is regulated by the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and your eligible assets are protected by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) up to $1 million per account type. CIBC’s Digital Banking Guarantee also protects against unauthorized transactions.

CIBC Investor Services, Inc. offers decent coverage because it is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF).

CIPF membership means that the money you have invested through CIBC Investor’s Edge in certain account types will be covered by up to $1 million if the firm goes belly up.

CIBC customers also have access to a Digital Banking Guarantee, which guarantees a 100% refund in cases of unauthorized transactions on your account.

CIBC Investor’s Edge Customer Service

You can contact CIBC Investor’s Edge by calling their customer support agents from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 6 pm. You can also try to reach them via email or chat. The online broker boasts a multilingual customer service team that can also provide you with assistance in Mandarin and Cantonese.

The rise of online brokerages and trading platforms is due to the increasing number of people pursuing self-directed trading to generate additional revenue. The importance of providing an excellent customer experience is growing.

Unfortunately, CIBC Investor’s Edge is severely lacking when it comes to getting through to the customer service team. Many people complain about having to wait for over three hours just to get through to someone on the phone. Some users also complain about delayed responses via chat and email.

While customer service remains a sore spot for CIBC Investor’s Edge, recent efforts to streamline phone and chat support may reduce wait times. However, reviews in 2024 still show some delays, so users should plan for potential hold times when contacting support.

CIBC Investor’s Edge Alternatives

Several names come to mind when I think of alternatives to CIBC Investor’s Edge. Questrade, Wealthsimple, and TD Direct Investing are the most relevant platforms to consider.

CIBC Investor’s Edge vs. Questrade

Questrade is my pick for the top online trading platform in Canada. It is one of the fastest-growing online brokerage firms, adding thousands of new customers each year. The non-banking product is the lowest-cost solution for self-directed investors, giving CIBC Investor’s Edge a run for its money.

Questrade does not offer very comprehensive educational and market research tools like CIBC Investor’s Edge. However, its substantially lower costs for using the platform make it far more attractive than CIBC Investor’s Edge.

Check out my detailed Questrade review to find out more about the non-banking trading platform.

CIBC Investor’s Edge vs. Wealthsimple Trade

Wealthsimple Trade is another popular non-banking online discount brokerage firm in Canada, and it is becoming popular among self-directed Canadian investors. It is one of the lowest-cost trading solutions available and the only trading platform that offers commission-free trades on ETFs in Canada.

Wealthsimple Trade does not charge you for trading using the platform because it relies on foreign currency conversion fees to generate its revenue, making it a very low-cost alternative to CIBC Investor’s Edge.

Check out my detailed Wealthsimple Trade review to find out more about the non-banking trading platform.

CIBC Investor’s Edge vs. TD Direct Investing

TD Direct Investing is an online brokerage product offered by another Big Five Canadian bank called the Toronto-Dominion Bank. Similar in many ways to CIBC Investor’s Edge, the platform offers excellent educational resources and research tools to help you make more well-informed investment decisions.

CIBC Investor’s Edge boasts much lower trading fees than the online brokerages offered by other major banks, like TD Direct Investing. However, TD Direct Investing boasts a more responsive customer support team that could make it a better alternative to CIBC Investor’s Edge for some users.

Check out my detailed TD Direct Investing review to find out more about the big bank’s online trading platform.

Conclusion

The number of online trading platforms and discount brokers is growing. Amid so many names, CIBC Investor’s Edge is an online brokerage that offers the backing of a reliable and reputable financial institution with a long history.

It might be a welcome sight for self-directed investors who prefer working with well-established institutions.

If the higher fees and commissions do not bother you, CIBC Investor’s Edge gets a Wealth Awesome thumbs up. You can check out the platform yourself on CIBC Investor’s Edge’s website.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is CIBC Investor’s Edge good for beginners?

CIBC Investor’s Edge offers a user-friendly platform and strong educational tools, making it a decent choice for beginners—especially those who already bank with CIBC. However, platforms like Wealthsimple Trade may be more cost-effective for absolute beginners.

2. Does CIBC Investor’s Edge charge inactivity fees?

No, CIBC Investor’s Edge does not charge inactivity fees, but you may face annual account fees if your balances are below certain thresholds.

3. Are ETF trades free with CIBC Investor’s Edge?

No, ETF trades cost the same as regular equity trades ($6.95 standard, with discounts for students and active traders). They are not commission-free.

4. Can I hold both USD and CAD in my CIBC Investor’s Edge account?

Yes. CIBC Investor’s Edge supports dual-currency accounts, allowing you to hold both Canadian and U.S. dollars to avoid costly currency conversions on U.S. trades.

5. Does CIBC Investor’s Edge offer real-time quotes?

Yes, CIBC Investor’s Edge provides real-time quotes, but more advanced market data may require subscription add-ons.

6. Can I trade cryptocurrencies on CIBC Investor’s Edge?

No. CIBC Investor’s Edge does not currently support cryptocurrency trading.

7. What is the minimum balance required to open an account?

There is no strict minimum to open an account, but you must meet balance thresholds ($10,000+ for non-registered accounts, $25,000+ for registered accounts) to avoid annual fees.

8. Does CIBC Investor’s Edge have mobile access?

Yes. The platform is accessible via the CIBC Mobile Wealth app on both iOS and Android, as well as through a desktop interface.