What Scotia Securities Inc does

Scotia Securities Inc. is a mutual fund dealer and corporate entity wholly-owned by The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank), operating as the securities and investment services arm of one of Canada's Big Five banks. The subsidiary is incorporated in Canada, headquartered in Toronto at 1 Adelaide Street East, and provides mutual fund dealing, online brokerage (Scotia iTRADE), mutual fund products (ScotiaFunds, Dynamic Funds), and deposit/investment products (Investment Savings Accounts, Guaranteed Investment Certificates) distributed through the Advisor Deposit Services unit to independent financial advisors, dealers, brokers, and individual investors across Canada.

The underlying technology stack is the parent's integrated digital banking platform: the Scotia mobile app (with chatbot support, 2-step verification, live chat, and accessibility features), Scotia OnLine for online account management, and the Scotia iTRADE self-directed brokerage platform. The entity benefits from the parent's broader infrastructure including the Global ATM Alliance (Visa, Plus, Interac, American Express, LINK), the Scene+ multi-partner rewards ecosystem, and CDIC member-issuer deposit protection across five affiliated institutions.

Scotia Securities Inc makes money primarily through fees and commissions on mutual fund distribution, brokerage transactions (Scotia iTRADE), and Advisor Deposit Services placements of GICs and ISAs to the independent advisor channel. Its go-to-market is hybrid: direct retail/self-directed digital (Scotia iTRADE), advisor-mediated distribution (Advisor Deposit Services), and cross-sell into the broader Scotiabank personal, commercial, wealth, and corporate banking franchises. It serves individual investors, independent financial advisors, dealers, brokers, and small business clients primarily in Canada, while operating within a parent group with global reach across 30+ countries.

Name

Scotia Securities Inc

Legal name

The Bank of Nova Scotia

Website

https://scotiabank.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1832

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Scotia Securities Inc. is a Toronto-based mutual fund dealer and wholly-owned subsidiary of Scotiabank (The Bank of Nova Scotia), providing online brokerage, mutual funds, and investment deposit products to Canadian individual investors, advisors, dealers, and brokers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Securities Brokerage

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Brokerage (Wirehouse/Universal) (FSAEACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fixed Income Mutual Funds (FSAAAEAB)

Keywords

• Securities brokerage
• Mutual fund dealer
• Self-directed investing
• Wealth management
• Investment savings products

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Banking and Lending: Interest income from mortgages, personal loans, lines of credit, and commercial lending. Fee income from chequing accounts, overdraft protection, and other banking services.
2. Credit Cards: Transaction fees from merchants and interest charges on revolving balances. Products include Scene+ rewards credit cards, travel cards, and cash back cards.
3. Wealth Management and Investment Products: Fees from mutual funds (ScotiaFunds, Dynamic Funds), GICs, managed portfolios, financial planning, and self-directed investing through Scotia iTRADE. Also includes investment savings accounts.
4. Insurance: Credit protection insurance (loan protection, mortgage protection, line of credit protection), travel insurance, and other insurance products through BNSIA Insurance Agency.
5. Global Banking and Markets: Corporate and investment banking services including capital markets, advisory, and global transaction banking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Scotia Securities Inc. operates as a mutual fund dealer and securities brokerage subsidiary of The Bank of Nova Scotia, distributing self-directed investing through Scotia iTRADE, mutual funds through ScotiaFunds and Dynamic Funds, and deposit/investment products (Investment Savings Accounts and GICs) through the Advisor Deposit Services channel. The entity serves both individual self-directed investors and independent financial advisors, dealers, and brokers across Canada from its Toronto office at 1 Adelaide Street East.

Product overview

Scotia Securities Inc operates as Scotiabank's securities brokerage and investment services division, functioning as an integrated component within the Scotiabank financial services ecosystem. The core product is Scotia iTRADE, an online brokerage platform enabling self-directed investing and trading. Supporting products include ScotiaFunds and Dynamic Funds (mutual fund offerings), the Investment Savings Account (ISA) and Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs) through Advisor Deposit Services, and the Scene+ rewards program linked to Scotiabank cards. These products serve individual investors, advisors, and brokers across Canada, with Scotia Securities itself operating from its Toronto office at 1 Adelaide Street East.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scotia iTRADE: Online brokerage and direct investing platform
• ScotiaFunds
• Scotia Wealth Management
• Scotia Global Asset Management
• Global Banking and Markets
• The Scotiabank Women Initiative
• Healthcare+ Banking Program
• Advisor Deposit Services
• Roynat
• StartRight
• Scene+
• ScotiaPlan Loan
• ScotiaLine

Products and services

• Scotia iTRADE

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 90,000 employees serving customers globally
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Global ATM Alliance (Visa, Plus, Interac, American Express, LINK)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with major payment networks enabling Scotiabank customers to withdraw cash from participating ATMs worldwide. Supports international banking access for customers traveling outside Canada.
• ShellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFuel rewards partnership offering Scotiabank customers benefits at Shell gas stations through the Scotia Perks program.
• Scene+ Program PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMulti-partner rewards ecosystem including retail, grocery, cinema, and travel partners allowing Scene+ members to earn and redeem points across a wide network of participating merchants.
• Visa (She’s Next)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership supporting women entrepreneurs through the Visa She's Next program combined with The Scotiabank Women Initiative in Chile.
• Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC)coreOthersDeposit insurance partnership where Advisor Deposit Services issuers (The Bank of Nova Scotia, The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, Scotia Mortgage Corporation, Montreal Trust Company of Canada, and National Trust Company) are all CDIC members, protecting eligible deposits up to $100,000 per category.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Wealthsimple: Canadian digital wealth platform offering self-directed trading, managed portfolios, and mutual funds with a low-cost, mobile-first experience. Competes directly with Scotia iTRADE for younger and fee-sensitive retail investors.
• Questwealth / Questrade: Canadian low-cost online broker and robo-advisor. Directly competitive with Scotia iTRADE on equity, ETF, and mutual fund trading fees, particularly for self-directed and DIY investors.

Broad incumbents

• Canaccord Genuity Group: Independent Canadian wealth management and capital markets firm. Comparable as a retail securities dealer and mutual fund distributor, though without the chartered-bank deposit and lending base that Scotiabank provides.
• Fidelity Clearing Canada: Fidelity's Canadian brokerage and wealth business, offering self-directed trading, mutual funds, and managed portfolios. Competes with Scotia iTRADE and ScotiaFunds across both retail and advisor channels.

Direct peers

• National Bank Direct Brokerage / National Bank Financial: National Bank's self-directed brokerage and wealth division. Comparable in offering mutual funds, fixed-income products, and advisor-servicing deposit products distributed to Canadian investors.
• Qtrade Direct Investing: Canadian self-directed online brokerage offering stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and GICs. Comparable product set and customer segment to Scotia iTRADE, frequently benchmarked on price and research tools.
• TD Direct Investing / TD Wealth: TD's online brokerage and wealth platform, structurally analogous to Scotia iTRADE plus Scotia Wealth Management. Comparable in scale, fee structure, and product breadth across mutual funds, GICs, and self-directed trading.
• RBC Direct Investing / RBC InvestEase: RBC's self-directed online brokerage arm competes head-to-head with Scotia iTRADE within the Canadian Big Five banking group. Both are wholly-owned by a major chartered bank and offer mutual funds, ETFs, and managed portfolios to retail investors.
• BMO InvestorLine / BMO Nesbitt Burns: BMO's self-directed investing platform and full-service brokerage subsidiary mirror Scotia iTRADE and Scotia Securities within another Canadian Big Five bank, serving retail and high-net-worth clients with the same product mix.
• CIBC Investor's Edge / CIBC Wood Gundy: CIBC's online brokerage and full-service advisory arm. Direct competitor for self-directed trading, mutual funds, and GIC distribution among Canadian chartered bank subsidiaries.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scotia-securities-inc-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scotia Securities Inc