In January 2019, WealthBar joined CI Financial—a diversified wealth management firm and one of Canada’s largest investment companies. Trusted by Canadians since 1965, CI believes that every investor deserves thoughtful advice, unique investments, exceptional security, and unparalleled service.
In July 2020, WealthBar became CI Direct Investing and we shared our commitment to offer professional, unbiased advice and a range of investment options, so that you can make the right decisions for your financial future.
We’re excited to take another step forward with a new look, login experience, and dashboard to give you more choice and control for how you invest your money!
CI Direct Investing will offer a diverse menu of services, with wealth management and financial planning services offered by CI Direct Investing, and online investing platform services for do-it-yourself investors provided by CI Direct Trading (formerly Virtual Brokers).
Here’s a closer look at the changes, and answers to some questions you may have.
A new look for cidirectinvesting.com & the mobile apps
We’ve updated our logo and colour scheme with a modern look. We’ve also provide you with more information about the wealth management and financial planning services provided by CI Direct Investing and the self-directed trading services provided by CI Direct Trading.
The CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading mobile apps will remain separate apps, but have been updated to reflect the new look.
A new way to login
We’ve created a new login experience to improve convenience and security. If you’re an existing CI Direct Investing or CI Direct Trading client, the first time you login with your existing credentials your new credentials will be established automatically. You’ll also configure new multifactor authentication to use going forward. Multifactor authentication helps protect your account by preventing unauthorized access if your password is compromised.
Your new credentials will be a Single Sign On (SSO) to access both CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading, so you won’t have to manage multiple logins.
A new shared dashboard
Once you’re logged in, you’ll access a new shared dashboard that can display balances of CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading accounts. You’ll be able to easily link existing CI Direct Investing or CI Direct Trading accounts to your new dashboard. If you’re not a client of CI Direct Investing or CI Direct Trading, you’ll have an option to apply for a new account.
Access to existing dashboards
Don’t worry, your existing CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading client dashboards remain available from the new shared dashboard.
The same great investments, services, and pricing
Other than the new login experience and shared dashboard, there are no changes to the products, services, or pricing of either CI Direct Investing or CI Direct Trading. CI Direct Investing continues to provide managed portfolios and financial planning services, but does not provide investment advice with respect to self-directed accounts you hold at CI Direct Trading.
We created this handy guide to help clients get started on the new site.
Questions & Answers
What is the difference between CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading?
Put simply, CI Direct Investing manages investments for clients who want professional advice, and CI Direct Trading enables clients to self-direct their own investments. You can read more about CI Direct Investing’s services in our Client Relationship Disclosure Information.
What happened to the CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading websites?
The CI Direct Investing website at https://www.cidirectinvesting.com/ and the CI Direct Trading website at https://cidirecttrading.com/ will continue to work, and will redirect to a new CI Direct Investing website on https://cifinancial.com/.
Are they the same after this change?
Although clients will be able to access accounts at both CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading from the shared dashboard, both businesses continue to operate separately.
What happened to the dashboards?
The existing CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading client dashboards remain available from the new shared dashboard.
What about the mobile apps?
The CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading mobile apps remain separate apps with all the features you know and love, but have been updated to reflect the new look. Updates have been released. Clients can login with existing credentials until they create a new Single Sign On (SSO) through a web browser.
If I am a client of CI Direct Investing, am I automatically a client of CI Direct Trading? And vice versa?
No. If you don’t have an account at one of CI Direct Investing or CI Direct Trading, you can become a client by following a link on the new shared dashboard to get started and apply for an account.
Did we merge CI Direct Investing and CI Direct Trading accounts?
No, they remain separate.
Did services, prices, or platforms change?
No. There are no changes to the products, services, or pricing of either CI Direct Investing or CI Direct Trading. CI Direct Investing continues to provide a variety of managed portfolios, such as ETF Portfolios, Private Portfolios, and Impact Portfolios and access to financial planning and advice. CI Direct Trading continues to provide an easy to use solution for self directed investors.
Did investment or trading accounts change?
No. Your account details, investments, and fees haven’t changed.
CI Direct Investing, a registered business name of WealthBar Financial Services Inc. (“WealthBar”), is an online wealth management firm providing managed investment portfolios as well as personalized financial advice and planning. WealthBar is registered portfolio manager under the securities legislation in all provinces and territories in Canada.
CI Direct Trading, a registered business name of CI Investment Services Inc. (“CIIS”), is an order-execution only discount investing platform for the self-directed investor. CI Investment Services Inc. is a registered investment dealer under the securities legislation in all provinces and territories in Canada, and member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada.
WealthBar and CIIS are wholly owned subsidiaries of CI Financial Corp. (“CI Financial”), an independent company offering global wealth management and asset management advisory services.
