Get in first with Pre-IPO investing

Pre-IPO investing gives you access to shares of late-stage private companies before they list on a public stock exchange. At Questrade, you buy units of a dedicated fund tied to a single company's private shares. When the company goes public, your share is distributed to your Questrade account after any applicable lock-up period.

Pre-IPO access means investing in private companies through fund units tied to the company's shares — before they go public. Your capital is locked until a liquidity event, and you'll have limited visibility into financials. IPO access means buying public shares at the initial offering price, just before they begin trading. Your shares are liquid immediately, but the price already reflects public market demand. IPO access is available at Questrade through our IPO Centre.

You must be a Canadian resident outside of Quebec who is not a U.S. person, and be verified as an accredited investor at Questrade. You qualify with pre-tax income over $200,000 CAD ($300,000 combined with a spouse) in each of the last two years with a reasonable expectation of the same this year, or financial assets over $1,000,000 CAD net of related liabilities. Verification takes up to 5 business days and is valid for 12 months. [Learn how to get verified]

Open a self-directed individual Cash or Margin account — you can fund it in CAD or USD. Browse live offerings on the Pre-IPO page (Products > Private Markets > Pre-IPO) once you're verified. Investments start from $5,000 USD per order. You can cancel any time before the offering closes.

No, Pre-IPO is web only

Two fees, both disclosed on the offering page before you invest: a transaction fee charged at purchase and a distribution fee deducted from your proceeds following a liquidity event. Both are a one-time percentage. Exact rates are on each offering page.

Questrade Plus subscribers can place orders first, followed by waitlist members (coming soon) before offerings open to all clients. Units are limited and allocated first-come, first-served by order timestamp. Any units not filled during the access window carry forward to the next. Try Questrade Plus free until September 30, 2026.¹ [Upgrade to Questrade Plus]

After the IPO, there's typically a lock-up period (90 to 180 days, varying by offering) during which shares can't be sold. Once the lock-up expires, your share is distributed to your Questrade account, net of any applicable taxes and fees. Distributions may be public shares, cash, or a combination.

There's no guaranteed timeline — it could take months to several years, and some companies may never go public. Pre-IPO investments are illiquid, with no option to redeem or withdraw capital before a liquidity event. Only invest capital you can afford to have locked up for an extended period.

Your capital is locked until a liquidity event (acquisition or IPO), which could take months or years. The company may decline in value or fail entirely — you could lose some or all of your investment. You'll have limited visibility into financials, and each position is concentrated in a single company. Full details are in the deal documents on the offering page. Consult you financial advisor before investing.