| Feature | Deriv | Questrade |
|---|---|---|
| Company Overview | Established in 1999, Deriv is a global online trading platform offering a variety of financial instruments. | Founded in 1999, Questrade is a Canadian online brokerage providing a range of investment products and services. |
| Regulation | Regulated by multiple authorities, including the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) and the Labuan Financial Services Authority (LFSA). | Regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). |
| Account Types | Offers various account types, including Standard, Advanced, and Synthetic accounts. | Provides multiple account options, such as Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA), Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP), and margin accounts. |
| Minimum Deposit | Typically low minimum deposit requirements, varying by account type. | Requires a minimum deposit of $1,000 CAD to open an account. |
| Trading Platforms | Proprietary platforms including DTrader, DBot, and Deriv MT5 (MetaTrader 5). | Offers platforms like Questrade Trading, Questrade Edge (web and desktop), and Questrade Global for forex and CFD trading. |
| Tradable Instruments | Forex, commodities, cryptocurrencies, synthetic indices, and stock indices. | Stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds, GICs, forex, CFDs, IPOs, and precious metals. |
| Commission and Fees | Generally offers commission-free trading; specific fees may apply depending on the instrument and account type. | Stock trades range from $4.95 to $9.95 CAD; ETF purchases are free, but sales incur standard commission fees. |
| Spreads | Competitive variable spreads, starting from as low as 0.1 pips on major currency pairs. | Forex spreads start from 1.9 pips; other spreads vary by instrument. |
| Leverage | Offers leverage up to 1:1000, depending on the instrument and regulatory requirements. | Provides leverage up to 1:3 for margin accounts; specific leverage ratios depend on the asset class. |
| Deposit and Withdrawal Methods | Supports various methods, including bank transfers, credit/debit cards, and e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller. | Accepts bank transfers, Visa Debit, and other methods; instant deposits available up to $10,000 CAD per day via Visa Debit. |
| Educational Resources | Provides tutorials, webinars, and an extensive help center for traders of all levels. | Offers educational webinars, market research from third-party providers like TipRanks, and advanced charting tools. |
| Customer Support | 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. | Customer support available by phone and online chat from Monday to Friday; email support also offered. |
| Mobile Trading | Mobile-friendly platforms accessible via web browsers; dedicated mobile apps may be available. | Offers mobile apps for Questrade Trading and Questrade Edge, compatible with iOS and Android devices. |
| Research Tools | Includes technical analysis tools, economic calendars, and market news updates. | Provides research and insights from partners like Seeking Alpha and TipRanks; advanced charting and technical tools available. |
| Demo Account | Offers free demo accounts with virtual funds for practice trading. | Provides demo accounts for its platforms, allowing users to practice trading with virtual funds. |
| Geographic Availability | Serves clients globally, with certain country restrictions based on regulatory requirements. | Primarily serves Canadian residents; accounts are available to Canadian citizens and residents only. |
| Security Features | Implements robust security measures, including two-factor authentication and data encryption. | Employs 256-bit SSL encryption, firewalls, multifactor authentication, and automated alerts; offers an Online Security Guarantee. |
| Options Trading | Offers binary options and digital options trading. | Provides traditional options trading on stocks and ETFs. |
| Futures Trading | Does not offer futures trading. | Offers futures trading on various commodities and indices. |
| Cryptocurrency Trading | Supports crypto CFDs, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. | Limited to crypto ETFs; does not offer direct crypto trading. |
| Fractional Shares | Not available. | Allows fractional share investing for stocks and ETFs. |
| API Trading | Provides API access for automated and algorithmic trading. | Offers API access for advanced traders and developers. |
| Robo-Advisory Services | No robo-advisory services available. | Offers a robo-advisor service called Questwealth Portfolios with managed investment options. |
| Social/Copy Trading | No built-in social or copy trading features. | No dedicated social trading platform, but users can follow market analysts through integrated research tools. |
| Custom Indicators and Trading Bots | Supports custom trading bots via DBot and integration with MT5. | Allows the use of third-party trading bots via API and platform plugins. |
| Margin Rates | Varies by instrument; high leverage available. | Competitive margin rates starting at Prime + 1% on margin accounts. |
| Order Types | Market, limit, stop, trailing stop, and OCO (one-cancels-the-other) orders. | Market, limit, stop, trailing stop, OCO, bracket, and conditional orders. |
| Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP) | Not available. | Offers DRIP for stocks and ETFs, allowing automatic reinvestment of dividends. |
| Interest on Uninvested Cash | Does not pay interest on uninvested cash. | Pays interest on idle cash balances in investment accounts. |
| Multi-Currency Accounts | Primarily supports USD and EUR; limited support for other currencies. | Supports CAD and USD accounts to avoid currency conversion fees. |
| Regulatory Protection for Client Funds | Follows regulatory requirements to keep client funds in segregated accounts. | Protected by CIPF, covering up to $1 million in case of broker insolvency. |
| ESG Investing (Environmental, Social, Governance) | No dedicated ESG investment products. | Offers ESG-focused ETFs and socially responsible investing options. |
| Interest on Margin Accounts | Charges interest on borrowed funds for leveraged positions. | Competitive interest rates based on market conditions; varies by asset type. |
| Retirement and Tax-Advantaged Accounts | No retirement or tax-advantaged accounts. | Offers TFSA, RRSP, and other registered investment accounts. |
| Referral Program | Offers a referral bonus for inviting new traders. | Provides a referral program with cash rewards for new sign-ups. |
| VIP or Premium Accounts | Offers VIP accounts with enhanced features, lower fees, and higher withdrawal limits. | Offers Questrade Advantage with lower fees for high-volume traders. |
| PAMM & MAM Accounts (Managed Accounts) | No dedicated PAMM/MAM services. | No PAMM/MAM accounts; only self-directed and managed Questwealth portfolios. |
| Islamic (Swap-Free) Accounts | Available for eligible traders following Sharia law. | Not available. |
| Hedging Allowed | Yes, hedging is allowed. | Yes, hedging is allowed on forex and CFDs. |
| Scalping Allowed | Yes, supports scalping strategies. | Yes, scalping is allowed, but subject to platform liquidity and market conditions. |
| Interest-Free Trading | Islamic accounts offer interest-free trading. | No interest-free trading options. |
| Slippage Protection | Offers slippage control on certain orders. | No guaranteed slippage protection, but advanced order types help mitigate risks. |
| Stop-Loss Protection | Available on most trading instruments. | Available, with additional risk-management features for portfolio traders. |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes, to prevent traders from losing more than their deposited funds. | No explicit negative balance protection; traders on margin accounts can owe more than their balance. |
| Overnight Swap Fees | Applicable on leveraged positions unless using a swap-free account. | Interest charges apply on margin trading; swap rates depend on the asset. |
| Depository Integration | Not applicable. | Integrated with the Canadian Depository for Securities (CDS) for stock and ETF trades. |
| Corporate & Business Accounts | Does not offer corporate trading accounts. | Offers corporate and institutional trading accounts. |
| IPO (Initial Public Offering) Access | Not available. | Offers access to select IPOs for Canadian investors. |
| Order Execution Speed | Fast execution with proprietary technology. | High-speed execution, but dependent on market conditions. |
| Market Depth (Level 2 Data) | Not available. | Available with Questrade Edge, showing real-time bid/ask prices. |
| Algo Trading Integration | Supports MT5 Expert Advisors (EAs) and custom scripts. | API and third-party tools available for algo trading. |
| Options Spreads & Strategies | Limited to digital and binary options. | Supports covered calls, straddles, spreads, and other multi-leg options strategies. |
| Mutual Fund Trading | Not available. | Available, with thousands of mutual funds from various providers. |
| Government Bonds & T-Bills | Not available. | Offers access to government bonds and treasury bills. |
| Precious Metals Storage | Not available. | Allows trading in precious metals ETFs but no direct storage options. |
| Trading Halts & Circuit Breakers | Applies standard market halts when necessary. | Follows Canadian market rules for trading halts and circuit breakers. |
| Direct Market Access (DMA) | No direct market access; trades are processed through internal liquidity providers. | Offers direct market access for equities and ETFs. |
| ETF Screener | Not available. | Built-in ETF screener for analyzing funds based on performance and fees. |
| Auto Rebalancing | Not available. | Available in Questwealth Portfolios for managed investments. |
| Forex Trading Hours | 24/5 for forex markets. | 24/5 for forex markets, aligned with global trading hours. |
| Weekend Trading | Available on synthetic indices. | Not available. |
| Fixed vs Variable Spreads | Offers both fixed and variable spreads depending on the instrument. | Primarily variable spreads. |
| Paper Trading | Demo accounts available for practice. | Demo accounts available for stocks, forex, and options trading. |
| Mobile Charting Features | Includes standard indicators and drawing tools. | Advanced mobile charting with customizable indicators. |
| News Feed & Economic Calendar | Provides market news and economic calendar tools. | Real-time market news and economic calendar integrated into the platform. |
| Account Opening Process | Fully digital, can be completed online in minutes. | Online application, but verification may take a few days. |
| Customer Support Languages | Supports multiple languages, depending on the region. | Primarily English and French, with limited multilingual support. |
| Customizable Watchlists | Available. | Available, with advanced filtering and sorting. |
| Advanced Trade Reports | Provides transaction history and P&L statements. | Comprehensive trade reports, tax documents, and portfolio analysis tools. |
| Affiliate & IB (Introducing Broker) Programs | Offers an affiliate program with commissions for referrals. | No official IB program, but referral rewards are available. |
| Inactivity Fees | No inactivity fees. | $25 per quarter if no trades are placed for 12 months. |
Deriv is a globally accessible online trading platform offering forex, crypto, and synthetic indices with high leverage, whereas Questrade is a Canada-focused brokerage providing stocks, ETFs, options, and managed portfolios with strong regulatory protections.