Lesson Funding your account

Funding overview

Effortlessly Fund Your Questrade Account: Explore Your Options.

  • You can add money to your Questrade account using any of these funding methods.
  • Each method has its own processing time and accepted currency, so choose the method that works best for you.
  • Processing times start after we receive the funds from your financial institution.

New accounts may take an extra 1-2 business days to activate.

Funding methodProcessing time Currency
Instant deposit
(Visa and Interac Debit cards)

Learn more about Instant deposit
For Visa deposits, the money appears instantly in your Questrade account.

For Interac deposits, these may need additional validation by Interac which may delay the processing time.
CAD only
Online banking bill payment

Learn more about bill payments
1-2 business daysCAD only
Pre-authorized deposit (PAD)

Learn more about PADs
Deposits over the $10,000 CAD daily threshold will take up to 4-7 business days to process (10 business days for the FX&CFDs account), whereas deposits under $10,000 CAD will take 3-4 business days to deposit (5 business days for the FX&CFDs account).CAD & USD
Transfers from another bank or broker

Learn more about transfers
It can take 20 business days or more to receive your holdings from the outgoing financial institution.

1-2 additional business days after we receive your assets from the outgoing financial institution.
CAD & USD
Wire transfer1-2 business daysCAD & USD
Non-certified chequeCAD non-certified cheques are held for 10 calendar days

USD non-certified cheques are held for 15 calendar days
CAD & USD
Stock certificate

Learn more about stock certificates
At this time, we are not accepting physical stock certificate deposits. Please see the linked article for DRS deposit options.CAD & USD

Unacceptable deposits

  • Cash
  • Third party deposits
    • (When the name on your bank account doesn't match the name on your Questrade account.)
  • Bank Drafts - Regardless of the payee these are not accepted.
  • Money Orders
  • Certified Cheques
    • If you must use a cheque for a deposit, please use a regular non-certified cheque but please be aware of the clearing timelines.
  • E-Transfers to any Questrade email
  • Payment processors, such as PayTM, Plastiq, KnightsbridgeFX, and etc..
  • Cheques with incomplete information
  • Credit card cheques and credit cards
  • Cheques drawn on foreign banks, even if in U.S. currency
    • (Only cheques from Canadian institutions are accepted.)
  • Direct deposits by cheque or cash into Questrade's bank accounts.
  • Pre-authorized deposits from registered accounts like a TFSA or RRSP
    • For these deposits, please use a brokerage transfer instead

Explore the video below to learn more about the three most popular funding methods.

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Note: The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and should not be used or construed as financial or investment advice by any individual. Information obtained from third parties is believed to be reliable, but no representations or warranty, expressed or implied, is made by Questrade, Inc., its affiliates or any other person to its accuracy.

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