A decade ago, investing in Canada meant relying on professional advisors and traditional brokerages just to get your foot in the door. But that’s changing fast, and a new generation of retail investors are reshaping how Canadians build wealth.
That shift is front and centre in Wealthsimple’s latest move. The Toronto-based fintech company unveiled a major expansion of its investing platform this week, introducing tools like zero-commission options, fractional gold trading and more, all aimed at giving everyday Canadians access to practical and comprehensive investment options.
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Concurrently, a new survey conducted by the company also found that 92% of clients feel confident managing their own portfolios. “Canadians are increasingly ‘nerding out’ on investment and trading strategies to build their wealth,” Tara Kennedy, vice-president and head of capital markets at Wealthsimple, told Money.ca.
“Today’s retail investor is intentional, curious and motivated. They deserve modern, intuitive tools to maximize their opportunities.”
Tech and personalization are redefining investing
At its fall event, Wealthsimple Presents: For Nerds Only, CEO Michael Katchen unveiled a host of new tools aimed at giving retail investors access to strategies once reserved for institutions. These include zero-commission options, fractional gold trading, direct indexing portfolios and an upcoming AI-powered research dashboard designed to help users identify opportunities faster and understand what’s driving market trends.
The launch of Wealthsimple’s new suite of products follows a recent report from the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) (1), which shows that about one in eight Canadian investors now blend self-directed trading with professional advice.
“We believe the next wave of innovation for retail investors in Canada is personalization powered by artificial intelligence,” Kennedy said. “AI and automation are enabling investors to make data-driven decisions faster and with more confidence. Canadians are starting to expect the same level of innovation from their investing platforms as they do from the rest of their digital lives.”
The CSA’s recent Hybrid DIY Investing report supports that direction. It found that younger hybrid investors are the most speculative and least likely to have comprehensive financial plans that integrate both their self-directed and advised accounts. As more Canadians experiment with active trading and new asset classes, platforms like Wealthsimple are ready to meet them with enhanced access to markets, lower fees and greater flexibility.
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Confidence grows, but fundamentals still matter
Wealthsimple’s survey found that 69% of clients report above-average risk tolerance — a sign of growing sophistication but also of potential vulnerability. Kennedy said tools like options and fractional gold are about “flexibility and access,” not speculation. “They can play a role in managing risk or diversifying a portfolio — but they need to be used thoughtfully as part of a long-term plan.”
That’s also why, according to Wealthsimple, to further its mission to expand access to gold trading, the company now allows clients to trade real gold at a minimum of $1.
That balance is especially important as Canadian retail investors become more independent. According to the CSA, 84% of hybrid investors reported being willing to take on moderate or significant investment risk, compared with 46% of Canadian investors overall. Those who work with an advisor on an integrated financial plan tend to engage in less speculative activity overall.
“There’s definitely more curiosity and sophistication among investors today,” Kennedy said. “They’re more analytical and open to exploring new asset classes or strategies. That curiosity is healthy, but it needs to be grounded in discipline. The fundamentals haven’t changed: diversification, time invested and understanding your risk tolerance are still the cornerstones of good investing.”
A maturing market for modern investors
Wealthsimple’s latest launch reflects a larger transformation underway in Canadian finance. As investors grow more confident managing their own money, they’re demanding access to investment tools once reserved for institutional clients, as well as the security that supports long-term success.
And for Kennedy, the story isn’t about disruption so much as evolution. Wealthsimple’s expansion beyond low-fee ETFs and crypto into direct indexing, fractional gold and private market portfolios represents a belief that Canadians want both autonomy and accountability. Most importantly, they want the ability to make individual investment choices while relying on transparent data and responsible technology.
“DIY doesn’t mean going at it alone,” Kennedy said. “It means having access to easy-to-understand insights that help you make informed choices. We’re building a platform that’s powerful enough for advanced investors and intuitive enough for anyone to use responsibly.”
That evolution mirrors a broader global trend toward personalization and automation in investing. AI-driven analytics, fractional assets and low-cost trading are reshaping expectations around what a modern brokerage can and should deliver. For a generation of investors, real-time information, self-direction and customization are not just unconventional preferences — they’re the baseline.
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CSA (1)
This article originally appeared on Money.ca under the title: Wealthsimple bets on a new generation of confident Canadian investors
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