Peartree Financial Services
PearTree Financial Services is a Toronto-based fintech founded in 2007 that operates a Flow-Through Share Donation Platform facilitating tax-advantaged financings between Canadian resource issuers, high-net-worth donors, registered charities, and global institutional investors, with over $3 billion deployed since inception.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Peartree Financial Services does
PearTree Financial Services Ltd. is a Toronto-based, privately held financial services firm founded in 2007 by Ron Bernbaum that operates a Flow-Through Share Donation Platform (FTSDP) — a structure built on a CRA Advance Income Tax Ruling (updated following a 2011 change in law) which has become the fundamental mechanism for nearly all flow-through share financings in Canada. The platform connects Canadian mineral exploration companies, high-net-worth individual donors, registered Canadian charities, Canada's banking and brokerage communities, and global institutional investors in a single transaction chain: donors subscribe for flow-through shares at premium prices, immediately donate those shares to a registered charity, and the charity then sells the shares to global investors, with the donor claiming both flow-through tax credits and the charitable donation credit.
The company's two commercial offerings — PearTree Mining Finance and PearTree Philanthropic Finance — share this same underlying platform architecture. Since inception, PearTree has deployed over $3 billion in cumulative flow-through financings across 800+ transactions, including approximately $600M+ in structured financings per year and 60+ financings annually under the FTS regime. Flow-through share financings are reported to have represented 83% of all capital raised for Canadian resource exploration in 2023, and PearTree funded 64% of critical mineral exploration FTS financings in the first 12 months of the CMETC program. The platform supports approximately 2,500 charities annually and roughly 1,100 active subscribers.
PearTree generates revenue through transaction fees on facilitated flow-through share placements and explicitly charges no fees or chargebacks to its banking and brokerage channel partners. The customer base spans Canadian resource issuers (named customers include Osisko Mining, IAMGOLD, Sayona Mining, and Patriot Battery Metals), high-net-worth donors, registered charities, and global institutional investors who serve as ultimate purchasers of donated shares. The firm employs approximately 40 people and operates through a wholly owned subsidiary, PearTree Securities Inc., which holds the securities and flow-through share financing licenses.
Peartree Financial Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Peartree Financial Services
- Legal name
- PearTree Financial Services Ltd.
- Website
- https://peartreecanada.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PearTree Financial Services is a Toronto-based fintech founded in 2007 that operates a Flow-Through Share Donation Platform facilitating tax-advantaged financings between Canadian resource issuers, high-net-worth donors, registered charities, and global institutional investors, with over $3 billion deployed since inception.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Peartree Financial Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Mining Finance / Flow-Through Share Financing
- NAICS
- Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Financial Transactions Processing, Reserve, and Clearinghouse Activities (522320), Other Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (522390)
- SIC
- Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)
Keywords
Where Peartree Financial Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Peartree Financial Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Flow-Through Share Facilitation Fees: PearTree facilitates flow-through share transactions between resource issuers, investors/donors, and charities. They charge no fees or chargebacks to banking and brokerage communities for arranging and closing flow-through donation placements. The company earns revenue from facilitating the premium-priced flow-through share transactions where issuers receive enhanced exploration capital at reduced share dilution.
- Mining Finance Services: Providing enhanced exploration capital for remote and Northern Canadian resource issuers through the Flow-Through Share Donation Platform, enabling access to strategic global investors with no additional fees charged to the banking/brokerage communities.
- Philanthropic Finance Services: Accelerating charitable impact by accessing long-established Canadian tax incentives to decrease the after-tax cost of giving and facilitate transformational gifts through the Flow-Through Share Donation Format.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No fee service for banking and brokerage communities |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Peartree Financial Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PearTree Financial Services operates a Flow-Through Share Donation Platform (FTSDP) that facilitates flow-through share transactions between Canadian resource issuers, investors/donors, and registered charities. The company offers two core service lines: PearTree Mining Finance, which provides enhanced exploration capital for Canadian mineral exploration companies at reduced share dilution, and PearTree Philanthropic Finance, which enables donors to achieve a lower after-tax cost of charitable giving. The platform is built on a CRA Advance Income Tax Ruling structure and has deployed over $3 billion across 800+ financings since 2007.
Product overview
PearTree Financial Services operates as a dual-sector financial platform combining mining finance and philanthropy through its Flow-Through Share Donation Platform (FTSDP). The company offers two core products: PearTree Mining Finance, which provides enhanced exploration capital for Canadian resource issuers through flow-through share mechanisms, and PearTree Philanthropic Finance, which enables donors to reduce their after-tax cost of charitable giving. The FTSDP is the foundational platform enabling approximately 75% of all flow-through share financings in Canada, allowing Canadian resource companies to sell shares at premiums to investors who then donate them to charities. The platform serves resource issuers seeking exploration capital, donors seeking tax-advantaged giving vehicles, and registered charities seeking major gift acceleration. PearTree has deployed over $3 billion since inception, funding more than 60 financings annually and supporting approximately 2,500 charities per year.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PearTree Mining Finance Flow-through share financing service providing enhanced exploration capital for remote and Northern Canadian mineral exploration and development companies. Enables Canadian resource issuers to pass qualifying Canadian Exploration Expenses (CEE), Canadian Development Expenses (CDE), and Super Flow-Through investment tax credits onto pre-arranged institutional investors, maximizing flow-through capital at premium issue prices with reduced share dilution.
- PearTree Philanthropic Finance Flow-through share donation service for high-net-worth donors and registered Canadian charities that accelerates charitable impact by accessing long-established Canadian tax incentives to decrease the after-tax cost of giving and facilitate transformational gifts. Donors purchase flow-through shares at a premium and donate them to charities, who then sell the shares to global investors to access capital.
- Flow-Through Share Donation Platform (FTSDP) The foundational proprietary platform enabling donors to purchase flow-through shares and immediately donate them to Canadian registered charities, allowing charities to sell shares to global institutional investors at market price. Combines mining finance and philanthropy by reducing donor after-tax cost of donation while providing exploration capital for resource companies.
- Flow-Through Share Donation Format (FTSDF) A structured donation format enabling high-net-worth donors to achieve a lower after-tax cost of donation. Donors purchase flow-through shares at a premium and donate them to charities, who then sell the shares to access capital for charitable programs, lowering the after-tax cost of giving to less than 20% in most Canadian provinces.
Quantifiable outcome
- Donors can achieve after-tax cost of giving reduced to less than 20% in most Canadian provinces
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Peartree Financial Services
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Peartree Financial Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature2 records
Peartree Financial Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Sayona Mining LtdcoreAustralian company mining and exploring for lithium in Quebec. PearTree completed a $50M financing where upon donation and sale, shares were purchased by Australian investors for $32M, enabling foreign capital to fund Canadian exploration.
- Patriot Battery MetalscoreAustralian company invested in Quebec through PearTree with additional tax incentives resulting from the combination of CMETC and Quebec tax incentives.
- IAMGOLDcoreThrough the PearTree approach, IAMGOLD raised over $100 million to cover qualifying mining expenses at better than market premiums, being less dilutive to shareholders. CEO describes it as a winning formula.
- Osisko MiningcoreLong-standing partnership with Osisko Mining, having completed over $400M in exploration financings. Rated as reliable, dependable and trusted partner in resource exploration capital deployment.
- Vancouver General Hospital & UBC FoundationcoreCharity partner benefiting from PearTree's Flow-Through Share Donation Format. Donor generosity amplified by platform, allowing transformation of lives in Vancouver.
- Canada's Banking & Brokerage CommunitiescorePartnership with Canada's banking and brokerage communities enabling flow-through donation placements with no fees or chargebacks to facilitate access to institutional investors.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Peartree Financial Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Bank Financial Markets: National Bank Financial Markets is a Canadian investment dealer with a dedicated mining team that structures flow-through share financings and distributes them to retail and institutional clients. Comparable to PearTree because both channel Canadian retail and institutional capital into flow-through share placements for resource issuers.
- Canaccord Genuity Group: Canaccord Genuity is a major Canadian investment dealer with a global capital markets division that participates in Canadian mining financings, including flow-through share transactions. Comparable to PearTree as a broad incumbent that overlaps in mining equity placements but operates a much wider product suite including M&A advisory and wealth management.
- Fidelity Charitable: Fidelity Charitable is the largest US donor-advised fund sponsor, helping HNW donors structure tax-advantaged charitable contributions. Comparable to PearTree's philanthropic finance business as a donor-advised giving platform, though Fidelity Charitable does not integrate mining finance or flow-through share mechanics.
Direct peers
- Sprott Inc. Sprott is a Canadian asset manager specializing in precious metals and critical minerals investments, with a capital markets business that originates and underwrites mining financings. Comparable to PearTree because both channel institutional capital into Canadian resource exploration through specialized financial structures.
- Cormark Securities: Cormark is a Canadian institutional investment dealer with a strong mining and energy research and capital markets franchise. Comparable to PearTree Securities because both place resource equities with institutional investors and participate in flow-through share placements for Canadian exploration companies.
- Haywood Securities: Haywood is a Canadian investment dealer focused on the resource and mining sectors, providing equity financing, sales, and trading. Comparable to PearTree Securities Inc. because both specialize in placing Canadian resource equities with investors, often involving flow-through share transactions.
- Paradigm Capital: Paradigm Capital is a Canadian investment dealer focused on mining and resource issuers, with a long track record in flow-through share financings. Comparable to PearTree because both target Canadian resource companies raising exploration capital, often working in parallel on the same FTS financings.
- Echelon Wealth Partners: Echelon is a Canadian investment dealer focused on small- and mid-cap resource issuers, frequently participating in flow-through share financings. Comparable to PearTree Securities because both serve Canadian resource companies raising equity capital, often coordinating with the same banking and brokerage distribution network.
Emerging players
- Charitable Impact (Chimp): Charitable Impact is a Canadian donor-advised fund and charitable giving platform that helps donors maximize the impact of their giving. Comparable to PearTree's philanthropic finance business because both provide HNW donors with structured vehicles for tax-advantaged charitable contributions, though Charitable Impact lacks the flow-through-share mining-finance integration.
Regional players
- AGF Management Limited: AGF is a Canadian asset manager with institutional and retail wealth offerings. Comparable to PearTree as a Canadian-headquartered financial services firm serving institutional and HNW clients, though AGF is a traditional asset manager and does not operate the flow-through share donation platform that defines PearTree's niche.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Peartree Financial Services social profiles
Digital presencePeartree Financial Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Peartree Financial Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Peartree Financial Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Peartree Financial Services subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Peartree Financial Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Peartree Financial Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Peartree Financial Services
What does Peartree Financial Services do?
PearTree Financial Services operates a Flow-Through Share Donation Platform (FTSDP) that facilitates flow-through share transactions between Canadian resource issuers, investors/donors, and registered charities. The company offers two core service lines: PearTree Mining Finance, which provides enhanced exploration capital for Canadian mineral exploration companies at reduced share dilution, and PearTree Philanthropic Finance, which enables donors to achieve a lower after-tax cost of charitable giving. The platform is built on a CRA Advance Income Tax Ruling structure and has deployed over $3 billion across 800+ financings since 2007.
Is Peartree Financial Services a public or private company?
Peartree Financial Services is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Peartree Financial Services founded?
Peartree Financial Services was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Peartree Financial Services based?
Peartree Financial Services is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Peartree Financial Services make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Flow-Through Share Facilitation Fees are the primary driver. The others are mining Finance Services and philanthropic Finance Services.
Who are Peartree Financial Services's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are National Bank Financial Markets, Canaccord Genuity Group and Fidelity Charitable. Direct peers are Sprott Inc., Cormark Securities, Haywood Securities, Paradigm Capital and Echelon Wealth Partners. Charitable Impact (Chimp) is listed as an emerging player. AGF Management Limited is listed as a regional player.
Does Peartree Financial Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Peartree Financial Services.
What industry is Peartree Financial Services in?
Peartree Financial Services's product category is Mining Finance / Flow-Through Share Financing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAABAH, Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments). Its NAICS code is 525 and its SIC code is 6211.