Desjardins Online Brokerage

Desjardins Online Brokerage, operating under the Disnat brand at disnat.com, is a Canadian discount brokerage firm headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. The company was established in 2019, though its roots trace back to 1982 when it was founded as Les Investissements Disnat Inc., Canada's first discount brokerage. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Desjardins Group, a major Canadian credit union federation. The broker provides self-directed investors with online trading platforms, research tools, and a range of investment products, emphasizing low-cost, independent access to North American markets.

Our records indicate that Desjardins Online Brokerage does not hold a regulatory licence on file with FXCanary. However, as a Desjardins Group entity, it may be regulated under Canadian securities laws by provincial regulators (such as the Autorité des marchés financiers in Quebec), though this is not confirmed in our data. Traders should independently verify the broker's regulatory status before committing funds. The lack of explicit regulatory registration on our end contributes to a guarded scam risk score of 43/100.

Desjardins Online Brokerage provides two trading platforms tailored to different experience levels. Disnat Classic is a web-based platform designed for beginner and experienced investors, featuring real-time quote updates, Level 1 market data, and integration with third-party research providers such as Trading Central and Morningstar. Disnat Direct is an advanced web platform for active investors, offering unlimited streaming quotes, charts, watchlists, and time and sales data. Both platforms are accessible via a web browser with no download required, and the broker also offers a mobile app for trading on the go.

The broker offers a broad range of investment products including Canadian and U.S. equities, ETFs, options on North American indices and equities, mutual funds (most with no commission), fixed income securities, structured notes, and new issues like IPOs. Pricing is competitive: equity and ETF trades are commission-free, options cost $1.25 per contract (subject to a minimum of $8.75), and fixed income trades have a flat $50 fee. Mutual fund trades are generally commission-free, though some exceptions apply. There is no inactivity fee for accounts meeting certain conditions, such as making at least six trades per year or maintaining a portfolio value above $15,000.

Desjardins Online Brokerage offers cash, margin, and margin option accounts to Canadian residents aged 18 and over. Non-residents are not eligible to open accounts. The account opening process is fully online and can be completed in under 20 minutes using an electronic signature. The broker supports registered accounts such as RRSPs, TFSAs, RRIFs, LIRAs, and RESPs, which benefit from waived inactivity fees. Clients can hold both Canadian and U.S. dollars within the same account, with no currency conversion fees on trades.

This broker is primarily aimed at self-directed Canadian investors who prefer to manage their own portfolios without the guidance of a traditional broker. Its platform caters to both novice and active traders, with Disnat Classic offering simplicity and educational resources, while Disnat Direct provides advanced tools for frequent traders. The commission-free pricing on equities and ETFs makes it an attractive option for cost-conscious investors. However, it does not offer forex, CFDs, or cryptocurrency trading, limiting its appeal to those seeking leveraged international markets.