Wealthsimple to Offer Clients Early Access to Select Canadian and U.S. IPOs

Wealthsimple announced on May 28, 2026, that it will offer Canadian retail investors the opportunity to participate in initial public offerings (IPOs) at the offering price through a new feature called IPO Access. The move aims to close a longstanding gap between institutional and everyday investors.

Through IPO Access, Wealthsimple clients can request shares of select companies going public on Canadian and U.S. stock exchanges. Specific IPOs will be announced in the Wealthsimple app as they become available. Clients can request a single share with no minimum and no fee to participate.

“Access to IPO shares is one of the starkest divides in public market investing,” said Swapnil Parikh, VP of Product at Wealthsimple. “Big institutions get to buy in at the offering price, while everyday investors are excluded. Wealthsimple is making it possible for Canadian investors to participate in IPOs on the same terms, at the same price.”

If demand exceeds the shares Wealthsimple has available, participating clients are chosen through a transparent process disclosed in advance. Clients may receive all, some, or none of the shares they requested, and will be notified of their allocation on the day of the IPO.

Wealthsimple participates in IPO distributions as an invitee of investment banks. It is not an underwriter and does not work directly with the issuing company. Instead, banks allocate shares to Wealthsimple, which then distributes them to clients.

The company, which first introduced commission-free trading in Canada, serves over 4 million Canadians and holds approximately $125 billion in assets under administration as of March 31, 2026. Wealthsimple was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Toronto.