How to buy AstraZeneca (AZN) stock from Canada

Nilooka Dissanayake avatar
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Updated 12 Oct 2023

AstraZeneca plc (NASDAQ: AZN) is a multinational biopharmaceutical company created by a merger between the Swedish firm Astra and UK's Zeneca Group in 1999. It is headquartered at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in England.

To buy stocks in AstraZeneca, here’s what to do.

Unsure about how to start buying stock in the USA? Check out our complete guide.

About the company

AstraZeneca overview

AstraZeneca sells branded drugs across a number of key therapeutic classes. These include drugs used for treating diabetes and gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, cancer and respiratory disorders as well as cancer and immunology therapies. Close to one third of its sales come from the United States and the rest from international markets.

AstraZeneca subsidiaries include Alexion Pharmaceuticals and MedImmune.

Unsure about what trading platform to use?

Where to buy AstraZeneca stock

CIBC Investor's Edge

Not available for application via this website

CIBC Investor's Edge

Highlights

  • Trade Canadian and U.S. stocks online for a flat $6.95 per trade — with no account minimums.
  • Students benefit from a reduced $5.95 flat fee and no annual account fees.
  • Access both registered (RRSP, TFSA) and non-registered accounts in one place.
  • Research tools include analyst ratings, stock screeners, and market news powered by Thomson Reuters.

Pros

  • Backed by one of Canada’s Big Five banks, with integrated banking and investing through your CIBC account.
  • Easy-to-use platform suitable for long-term investors who want a simple, self-directed option.
  • Joint accounts, spousal RRSPs, and RESP accounts are available, giving flexibility for families.
  • Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) are supported with no extra charge.
  • CIBC Mobile Wealth app makes it easy to monitor your portfolio on the go.
  • No inactivity fees, which is rare among bank-owned brokerages.

Cons

  • No access to commission-free ETFs, which some other platforms now offer.
  • Trading platform lacks advanced charting and technical tools for active traders.
  • U.S. dollar accounts are not available for all account types, so currency conversion fees can add up.
Qtrade Direct Investing™

On website

Apply by October 31, 2025

Qtrade Direct Investing™

Highlights

  • Low trading fees with no hidden costs and consistently competitive pricing across Canadian markets.
  • Clean and intuitive platform with robust tools for stock screening, charting, and portfolio tracking.
  • Trade on the go with the new Qtrade app, featuring options trading, portfolio insights, alerts, and a sleeker design.
  • Options Lab simplifies complex strategies into step-by-step guided selections.
  • Stay informed with a personalized AI-powered newsfeed through Qtrade’s integration with PersonaFin.
  • Known for award-winning customer service that follows through when you need help.

Pros

  • Consistently low trading commissions make it a smart choice for long-term investors and active traders alike.
  • Well-designed desktop and mobile platforms offer both simplicity for beginners and depth for experienced investors.
  • The Options Lab tool demystifies options trading with tailored strategy recommendations.
  • Access to a wide selection of ETFs, stocks, mutual funds, and fixed income products in one place.
  • Strong research tools including screeners, watchlists, and analyst ratings help users make more confident decisions.
  • Responsive and knowledgeable client service, often ranked among the best in Canada.

Cons

  • $25 quarterly fee applies if you don’t maintain a minimum balance or meet trading activity — but this can be waived easily with regular use.
  • No commission-free ETF trading unlike some competitors.
  • While robust, the mobile app may still lack some advanced features.
Questrade

On website

Highlights

  • Trade stocks, ETFs, options, and more with low commissions starting at 1¢ per share (min. $4.95, max. $9.95).
  • No annual RRSP or TFSA account fees.
  • Wide range of account types, including registered, non-registered, corporate, and margin accounts.
  • Buy ETFs commission-free, which helps reduce costs for passive investors.
  • Robust research tools, market data packages, and customizable trading platforms.
  • Fund your account easily with Interac e-Transfer, bank transfer, or pre-authorized deposit.

Pros

  • One of the most cost-effective platforms in Canada for self-directed investors.
  • Buying ETFs for free makes it highly appealing for those following long-term, passive strategies.
  • Flexible platform options. From easy-to-use Questrade Trading to the more advanced Questrade Edge.
  • Offers both USD and CAD accounts, so you can avoid currency conversion fees when trading U.S. stocks.
  • Access to IPOs and international equities gives investors more diversification opportunities.
  • Educational resources and real-time market data packages help users trade with more confidence.
  • Registered with IIROC and CIPF, ensuring regulation and investor protection.

Cons

  • Charges apply when selling ETFs.
  • Currency conversion fees can still apply if you're not using a dual-currency setup.
  • Some of the more advanced data packages cost extra, which may be a consideration for budget-conscious users.

Unsure who to use for stock trading? Use our stock broker comparison to compare a wide range of online trading platforms.

Step 1: Choose a broker

When you buy stocks online, you do it through an intermediary called a broker. There are lots of online brokers available, offering various options. You need one with access to the London stock exchange.

Here are some key features to look for when choosing an online broker:

Low-cost brokerage

The advent of online stock trading has seen brokerage costs plunge.

If you shop around, you'll be able to find online platforms offering very competitive brokerage rates.

Be careful to weigh up brokerage costs against other services the online trader may or may not offer.

User-friendly trading platform

Trading in stocks needn't be complicated, so keep an eye out for a trading platform that is straightforward to use.

Research and analysis

Look for a platform that has a solid research and reporting section that can give you important information about AstraZeneca, including a company overview, price history, recommendations, and price forecasts.

Step 2: Funding your account

Next, it's time to add money to your account so you can make trades. Keep in mind the minimum transaction for any initial investment, which varies between brokers.

You will need to transfer funds from your bank account and it may take around 3 days for the funds to clear.

Step 3: Decide how much you want to invest

Deciding how much you want to risk on your investments is a pretty basic start, but it's more important than you think.

Work out a budget for buying stocks and only spend what you can afford to lose.

Step 4: Choose between buying stocks or an ETF

Another option for more cautious investors is an ETF or Exchange Traded Fund, which allows you to invest in a market as a whole or a specific commodity rather than an individual company like AstraZeneca. This product tracks that market, meaning it's less likely to experience sudden rises or falls, but it also means it's harder to make the kind of big gains you can with stocks.

ETFs with exposure to AstraZeneca include iShares Global Healthcare ETF (IXJ), ProShares Ultra NASDAQ Biotechnology (BIB), and Invesco Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (SBIO).

Step 5: Decide your order type

So, you've decided to buy AstraZeneca stocks. These are some of the main order types available to execute your trade.

Market order

These are orders to buy stocks at the current market price. In fast-moving markets, these prices can change while you're making the trade. Let's say you place an order for AstraZeneca stocks at US$60. You place an order but by the time it executes the stock price has dropped to US$59.75. You will get your stocks at a lower price. The same situation applies if the stock price goes up while your order is being executed.

Limit order

With a buy limit order, your trade will only execute when the stock price reaches the price, or lower, that you nominate. Let's say you decide you only want to buy AstraZeneca stocks at US$60 or lower. Once the price drops to that price, your limit order will kick in.

Stop limit

This is when you nominate a price at which to sell your stocks. When that price is reached, your sell order is executed. For example, you decide you want to sell your AstraZeneca stocks at US$61. Once the price hits what you have specified, the stop limit executes.

Stop loss

This helps you reduce risk. With a stop loss order, you nominate a price at which you decide to sell your stocks. If the stock price goes into free-fall, for example, the stop loss means you sell out before your shareholding suffers too much damage. However, your order will be filled at the next available market price.

After you buy

What moves AstraZeneca's stock price

Making a stock investment is just one step. Assuming you plan on holding your stocks for some time, it becomes necessary to monitor your stock portfolio and keep track of your investment by watching how the stock prices move and how the company performs. Here's how you can do that.

Track AstraZeneca’s stock price and company performance

This is necessary whether you are buying stocks for speculative purposes or to hold long-term.

Although its name earned global recognition as one of the first vaccines for COVID-19, AstraZeneca has many other important drugs in the pipeline. Its performance is going to be affected by these drugs currently in development and clinical trials entering the market as well as by competitor product launches.

AstraZeneca’s competitors

The key competitors of AstraZeneca are the other companies in the pharmaceutical preparations sector. These include Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Eli Lilly and (NYSE: LLY), GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO), Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA), and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).

AstraZeneca's top competitors for COVID-19 vaccines are Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

Disclaimer: We put our customer’s needs first. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer’s alone and do not constitute financial advice. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. However, Finty and/or the writer may have a financial interest in the companies mentioned. Finty is committed to providing factual, honest, and accurate information that is compliant with governing laws and regulations. Do your own due diligence and seek professional advice before deciding to invest in one of the products mentioned. For more information, see Finty’s editorial guidelines and terms and conditions.

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