HSBC InvestDirect FAQs

There is no minimum balance required to open an HSBC InvestDirect account.

1. Log on to the HSBC Canada app.
2. Select the Investment icon found at the bottom of the page.
3. Select the “Go to your InvestDirect accounts” link.

The North American, Hong Kong, UK, France, and German markets.

You can place trades on stocks and ETFs in any of the markets mentioned above.

Yes, you will be able to see the status of all trades you have placed through mobile, online or over the phone with us. This includes mutual fund trades and options trades, in addition to stock and ETF trades.

To get real-time quotes, you will need to review and consent to the terms and conditions of the provider of these services. These can be found and completed online through investdirecttrading.hsbc.ca, under My investments – Preferences – Agreements.

Trading PINs can only be set or changed through investdirecttrading.hsbc.ca. Go to My investments – Preferences – Trading PIN.

Mobile trading is currently available on iOS only.

To pay for or to settle trades using your bank accounts, the easiest way would be to select the “settle from your bank account” option at the time of the trade, on the trade ticket itself. For cash transfers or contributions, go to investdirecttrading.hsbc.ca.

Yes, the portfolio overview will display all your accounts, in addition to all accounts on which you have authorization. You’ll also be able to filter accounts for individual account views, grouped accounts views, or whatever suits your need, all in real-time.

And yes, on mobile you’ll be able to trade on any accounts on which you have trading authority.

You will be able to see up to 30 days of transactions on mobile. Cash transfers and contributions are currently not available. To see cash movements, as well as any transactions past 30 days, log on to our website at www.investdirecttrading.hsbc.ca.

No. You can only access your InvestDirect account through either the app or the website at any one time. If you try to log on to both at the same time, you’ll be disconnected from your previous session.

Go to Quote and trade OR from the holdings page, type the symbol or company name in the search box, then choose the security from the search results to view the quote.

1. Pull up the quote for the stock you want to trade (refer to “How do I get a quote on mobile trading?”)

2. Tap Buy or Sell

3. In the trade ticket screen,

• Select the investment account you want to make the trade from
• Select the settlement term
• Select the order type (e.g. Limit, Market, On stop, On stop limit)
• Type the quantity you want to trade
• Type your limit price (e.g. if you choose Limit order type)
• Select a good till date (e.g. if you choose Good-till Date (GTD))
• Tap “Review order”

4. In the Review order screen

• Review the details of your trade
• Review trade warning message (if any) below your trade details
• Acknowledge and accept all warnings to proceed by selecting the boxes besides the warning messages
• Tap Confirm

5. Enter your Trading PIN (if you have set trading PIN requirements in your preferences), then tap

6. The Trade Confirmation page will appear. Click on Trade More to place a new trade, or click View Order Status to go to the Order Status page

TFSA, RRSP, Spousal RRSP, RIF and LRSP/LIRA. 

(Note: RESP, Spousal RIF, Spousal LIFs are not available at this time.)

You can trade any products as you currently do in your CAD account (e.g. stocks, ETFs, options, etc.). The accounts are intended for USD settlements, so currency conversions are involved for any products that do not trade or settle in USD.

You can call us or more conveniently, request one through a chat session with us.

Yes, you will be able to contribute to your USD registered account(s) through the Transfers and contributions section of the InvestDirect website. Main thing to remember is that contributions to your USD account can only be made in USD from a USD bank account or a USD InvestDirect non-registered account.

No, your contribution limits do not change and the value of your limits will continue to be stated and valued in CAD. You can contribute up to your limit using a combination of CAD and USD amounts. For USD contributions however, make sure you factor in the foreign exchange rates applied so that you know it’s CAD equivalent amount when calculating your available room.

Yes, we can convert cash balances from your CAD side to your USD side upon request and once completed, your US dollars can remain in your USD side of the account. You will be able to do this through our website as well where the function can accommodate both CAD to USD, as well as USD to CAD.

Yes, you can easily do this online through our website. In the Transfers and Contributions section go to the US share transfer tab. From there, select the account where you hold US stocks. Once selected, a list of your US stocks will appear. Check the box of all stocks you wish to transfer the US side of the account.

Yes, as long as your RIF account has a USD component, and you have provided us with a USD bank account or USD investment account to deposit the funds to, you can receive your payments in USD.

(Note: USD components are not available for Spousal RIFs, therefore for Spousal RIF’s, you will continue to receive CAD payments only).

When the Spousal RRSP is converted to a Spousal RIF, all your holdings will be transferred to the Canadian account and all holdings will be valued in CAD. Payments will also be made in CAD only. You can continue to hold and trade US stocks, the main thing is that currency conversions will be applied. 

Charges are in USD. Full details can be found on our fee schedule.

Yes. You can depend on HSBC InvestDirect's global resources and online investment experience to ensure your trades are executed exactly as instructed. HSBC InvestDirect is a division of HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc., which is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF).

Your accounts are protected by CIPF within specific limits. Refer to www.cipf.ca for coverage details.

The privacy of your financial transactions and personal information is taken very seriously.

Supported operating systems include Windows 7.

To trade online, you need access to the Internet and a supported browser:

• Internet Explorer v11, Firefox v67, Chrome v80

Install these browsers free of charge from Microsoft™ or Mozilla^©.

It is easier to manage your investments when they are all in one place, and you can save money by avoiding multiple fees and brokerage expenses.

Consolidated accounts may also make you eligible for additional banking benefits and trading discounts.

No. U.S. residents are not permitted to open Canadian accounts (U.S. securities regulation), but can open an account with the HSBC Group in the U.S.

No. There is currently no access from HSBC InvestDirect to your HSBC Personal Internet Banking account(s).

The advantages of online trading services include convenience, security and control:

• Place trades 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  
• Access your monthly statements online, reducing the need for paperwork and filing
• Know that your account information, market data tools, research, and other services are secure, and are only available with your Access ID and password
• Issue real-time trade requests within seconds on North American exchanges and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange

Yes. New Issues (IPOs) are available through HSBC InvestDirect. Each time a New Issue is made available to HSBC, you will be able to view the investment details when you log onto your online trading account at HSBC InvestDirect.

Want to be in the know sooner? Sign up for the New Issues Email Notification Service.

When you are ready to invest, simply call an HSBC Investment Representative to place an 'expression of interest.' Call us toll-free 1-800-760-1180.

• Yes. To transfer an existing portfolio to HSBC InvestDirect, complete one or both of these transfer forms, depending on the type of accounts you currently hold:
• Non-registered Account
• Registered Account

• You can deposit Canadian or U.S. funds a number of ways:
• Deposit cheques in person or by mail at/to any HSBC branch
• Transfer funds by phone or online between your linked-up HSBC accounts, or from a designated non-HSBC bank account
• Transfer funds from a third party institution to or from HSBC InvestDirect
• To link-up a bank account with HSBC InvestDirect, call an HSBC Investment Representative at 1-800-760-1180.

Transfer or contribute funds easily online between any of your HSBC InvestDirect accounts or between an HSBC InvestDirect account and a pre-authorized bank account (HSBC Bank Canada or another institution).

• On the HSBC InvestDirect home page, in the left hand navigation bar, select Accounts
• Choose Transfers and Contributions, and enter the type of transaction you want to complete
• After you enter your transaction, view the status of your request on the Status tab

If you want to make a transfer by phone or want to set up a bank account with HSBC InvestDirect, please call an HSBC Investment Representative at 1-800-760-1180.

We offer competitive interest rates based on Canadian and U.S. prime rates. No credit interest is paid on international balances or on Canadian or U.S. interest balances less than $5.

You can set up multiple foreign currency accounts. This helps you reduce exchange rate losses due to currency fluctuations.

Other account currency options:

• U.S. dollar
  
• British Pound sterling
• Euro
• Hong Kong dollar
• Japanese yen
• Swiss franc
• Australian dollar
• New Zealand dollar
• Singapore dollar

You have access to a broad range of online investment research tools, providing detailed information on companies around the world. Research is provided by investment leaders, Standard and Poor's and Morningstar.

HSBC InvestDirect includes access to free, online information from news agencies around the world.

You can change your address by logging in to your HSBC InvestDirect account, or mail written instructions for an address change, with required signature(s), to:

Attention: Client Services
Administrative Office
HSBC InvestDirect
Suite 102 - 1725 16th Avenue
Box# 5
Richmond Hill ON L4B 4C6

Attention: Client Services
Administrative Office 
HSBC InvestDirect
Suite 600 – 2001 McGill College Avenue
Montréal, QC  H3A 1G1 

• Trading – If you have questions about a trade, call your HSBC InvestDirect Client Service Centre immediately and provide details of the trade: when it was placed and the name of the Investment Representative who took your trade (if you placed it over the phone) 
  
• General – Answers to general inquiries concerning your balances or transaction history can be directed to a client services representative at 1-800-760-1180 
  
• Service – Should you have any specific concerns about the service provided by an HSBC representative, ask to speak with a team leader who is available to discuss your concerns, call 1-800-760-1180

You can invest in many types of securities in your HSBC InvestDirect account, including Canadian and U.S. equities and options, mutual funds, bonds, money market instruments and foreign equities.

Cash, eligible Canadian and U.S. equities, mutual funds, bonds, money market instruments, foreign investments and some options can all be held in your self-directed RSP/RIF portfolio.

For a complete list of eligible RSP/RIF investments, visit the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).²

You can place the following types of orders with HSBC InvestDirect:

• At the market order  – Buy or sell a security immediately at the best current price
• Limit order – Buy or sell securities at a specific price or better (the order is executed only if the market reaches or betters that price)
• Day order – Buy or sell order that automatically expires if it is not executed on the day it is entered (all orders are day orders unless otherwise specified)
• Open order for a maximum of 30 days – An order usually entered at a specified price (perhaps at the market) to buy or sell a security that is held open until executed or cancelled.)
• All or none order – An order that must be executed in its entirety – partial fills will not be accepted
• Short sell order – The sale of a security that the seller does not own (these are orders you complete if you think the price of a stock is going to fall, and you anticipate being able to cover the sale by buying it back later at a lower price)
• On-Stop order (on participating markets) – An order to buy or sell a security when its price surpasses a particular value
• On-Stop limit order (on participating markets) – An order that sets the maximum or minimum at which you are willing to buy or sell a particular stock

There are two ways you can place a trade – online or by telephone:

• Online: Log on to your account and place trades online 24 hours a day
• Telephone: Call the HSBC InvestDirect Client Service Centre toll-free, 1-800-760-1180

If this is your first trade, an Investment Representative can review the process with you during these hours:

Monday – Thursday: 24 hours
Friday: 6 am–10 pm EST
Saturday: 10 am–6 pm EST

Have your account number ready when you call, and ask to speak to a representative in English, French, Cantonese or Mandarin. French service is available Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST.

An order is confirmed either online or by telephone:

• Online: View the real-time status of your orders on the InvestDirect website
• Telephone: Before your order is placed, the Investment Representative reads back your order for verification

Whether you place your trade online or by phone, you will receive a printed and/or electronic trade confirmation of your executed trades.

Call 1-800-760-1180 to get a quote for all other international markets.

There are more than 4,000 mutual funds available through HSBC InvestDirect.³

Yes. Active investors, as well as investors who hold substantial balances, may be eligible for preferential trading rates and banking benefits.

Account information is updated nightly between 4:00 am – 6:30 am EST. Daily trading activity is updated within the day and can be viewed online within your "As of today" page. Changes to your account balance as a result of a trade, deposit or withdrawal can be viewed online the next morning.

Yes. To enroll in eligible Canadian shares in a DRIP from any one of your trading accounts, send a written request indicating your account number and the company you are interested in enrolling.

Mail or fax to HSBC InvestDirect

• Equities
• Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
• Unit Trusts
• Exchange Traded Warrants⁶
• Exchange Traded Rights⁶
• Exchange Traded Bonds/Notes

No. Only day orders are accepted for international market trades.

To make a foreign exchange request, contact HSBC InvestDirect at 1-800-760-1180.

1. Log on to InvestDirect
2. On the Trading tab, choose Trade Stocks
3. Fill in your order details
4. Confirm authorization and submit order

1. Call an investment representative at 1-800-760-1180
2. Provide your account number and password
3. Explain the details of the trade you wish to make
4. Confirm authorization

1. Log on to InvestDirect
2. On the Trading tab, choose Select Order Status
3. Select Change, Cancel or Confirm

1. Call an investment representative at 1-800-760-1180
2. Provide your account number and password
3. Make a request to modify, cancel, or confirm your order

Please note that fill reports may be delayed. All modifications and cancellations are subject to prior fills.

Yes. You will receive an electronic trade confirmation slip, for online and telephone orders, each time a transaction is successfully executed. You may also request to have a confirmation slip mailed to you.

No. Special terms (such as all or none, on-stop, and on-stop limit) are not available for international equity trading.

No. Short selling is not available for international trades.

Stocks on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange must be bought in board lots:

• A board lot is a fixed number of stocks, such as 100 or 1000
• Board lot size varies from company to company–they are not determined by price
• Odd lots (a quantity of shares that is less than a board lot) can be sold, but not purchased
• Obtain the board lot size for a specific HK security when placing an order (you can get a quote on the Trade Stocks page)

International investors can only invest in China's B shares.

With HSBC InvestDirect, you can buy and sell equities and warrants on the HKEx. HSBC InvestDirect does not participate in Initial Public Offering (IPO) or pre-market trading; you can only place trades after a security is listed on the HKEx.

The HKEx closes for two hours during the middle of the day. The morning session of trading is from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm (HK local time) and the afternoon session is from 2:30 pm until 4:00 pm (HK local time).

HK$ 288 flat rate for Hong Kong online trading (trade values of HK$ 0-1,999,999)⁷.

At present, HSBC InvestDirect only accepts day orders.

• If your trade is not filled the same day it is requested, it will expire
• If you request a trade when the Hong Kong market is closed, the trade is entered for the duration of the next day the market is open

Settlement is trade plus 2 days for equities and trade plus 1 day for warrants.

Yes, Stocks on the HKEx must be purchased in board lots.

No. Trading on the HKEx is only conducted in Hong Kong Dollars (HKD), but you can settle in Canadian or U.S. dollars. It is recommended that you open an account in HKD to:

• Receive competitive pricing when you settle in HKD
• Reduce foreign exchange risk and costs associated with buying and selling (commissions are charged in HKD)

To open a HKD trading account, contact an HSBC InvestDirect Investment Representative at 1-800-760-1180.

Yes. In accordance with Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) margin rules, for the majority of companies listed on the main board of the HKEx, a loan value may be applied under the following two conditions:

• Securities must be held within a margin account
• Price per share of the security is over $3.00 (Cdn equivalent)

For more information about trading on the Hong Kong Exchange, please contact an HSBC InvestDirect Investment Representative at 1-800-760-1180.

Electronic documents, or eDocuments, are paperless account documents available through the HSBC InvestDirect site in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat required). Currently eDocuments include electronic account statements (eStatements) and electronic trade confirmations (eConfirms) will also be available through eDocuments.

You can view, save or print your eDocuments at your convenience, and will remain in the online site archive for seven years, provided the account remains open. Once an account is closed, you cannot access eDocuments associated with that account.

There are no fees for selecting or viewing eDocuments.

To set up your accounts for electronic documents, go to the eDocuments section, Preferences tab and follow these steps:

1. Select the button beside each account(s) under the Online column; then click Continue.
2. Review the Consent to the Electronic Delivery of Documents.
3. Acceptance of the stated terms and conditions is required for activation of your request.

Simply logon onto your HSBC InvestDirect account online, and:

• Click on "eDocuments" located on the left navigation menu.
• Go to the Statements tab. The most recent account statements are shown.
• Go to the Confirmations tab. The most recent trade confirmations are shown.

To search older documents use the drop-down selections and then click on Search. Only accounts for which you have selected electronic documents will display. Your eDocument will appear in a separate browser window in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat required).

To retrieve eDocuments, you will need the following:

1. A PC running the Microsoft Windows 95 operating system (or higher).
2. Internet access.
3. Adobe Reader.

You can receive documents for an account in one format only.

Yes, you can select eDocuments for non-personal accounts. To submit your request(s) for non-personal accounts, go to the eDocuments section, Preferences tab and click "Electronic Documents Consent". Complete in full and mail it back to us for processing.

Please review the Terms and Conditions regarding the Electronic Delivery of Documents.

eStatements are electronic account statements available through your HSBC InvestDirect online account.

Your eStatement will be available by the end of the first week of each month.

Account statements will be automatically and securely sent to your HSBC InvestDirect accounts online:

• A bulletin board message will appear on your online account to indicate your account statement is available.
• Simply click the "eDocuments" button located in the left-hand navigation menu to view your online account statement.

The same information that appears on the paper statement will also be available on the eStatement. You'll find a complete breakdown of your account, presented in an easy-to-read format.

eStatements are archived securely in your online account for seven years. Remember, eStatements are PDF documents that you can easily download and print for your records.

When you receive eDocuments, your statement cycle will remain the same, but you will no longer receive a paper statement in the mail.

Interested parties on accounts who receive paper statements today will continue to receive printed statements.

eConfirms are electronic trade confirmations available through your HSBC InvestDirect online account.

eConfirms are available within 2 business days of the date orders are filled.

Mutual Fund trade confirmation will continue to be mailed in paper format only.

The same information that appears on the paper trade confirmations will be available on the eConfirms. Trade confirmations (online and paper) have been redesigned into an easy-to-read format: Sample

eConfirms will be located under the eDocuments section on the left-hand navigation, under the Confirmation section.

If you are already signed up for eDocuments, you will be able to automatically receive eConfirms.

To set up your accounts for eDocuments: Login to your HSBC InvestDirect account, go to the eDocuments section, Preferences tab and follow these steps:

Step 1: Select the button beside each account(s) under the Online column; then click Continue.
Step 2: Review the Consent to the Electronic Delivery of Documents.
Step 3: Acceptance of the stated terms and conditions is required for activation of your request.