How to buy Rivian (RIVN) stock from Canada

Debbie Duncan avatar
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Updated 17 Oct 2023

Rivian (NASDAQ: RIVN) is an American EV maker and automotive technology company founded in 2009. Rivian’s consumer-facing offerings include an electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) and pickup truck based on a proprietary skateboard platform that can be used for designing future cars by both Rivian and other companies.

If you think Rivian could be the next Tesla and want in on the action, here's your guide to buying their shares from Canada.

About the company

Rivian overview

Rivian Automotive, Inc. (Rivian) is an American electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer that became a public company through an IPO in November 2021. Rivian shares are trading on the NASDAQ under the ticker “RIVN”.

Committed to sustainability, Rivian aims to achieve carbon neutrality across its business by 2032, spanning the whole gamut of its operations from suppliers to the charging impact of its vehicles.

If you wish to invest in the EV sector and Rivian’s environment-friendly objectives interest you, here’s a step-by-step guide on purchasing Rivian stock.

Unsure about what share dealer to use?

Where to buy Rivian 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.

Compare the top trading platforms on Finty. Research fees, commissions, tradable assets, markets, etc.

First time buying?

How to buy Rivian stock

Step 1: Choose a broker

To buy Rivian stock online, you’ll need to find a broker that offers access to US markets. There are several platforms available, but the right one for you will depend on your needs. Some of the features you may want to look out for include:

  • Intuitive trading: Some trading platforms are designed for experienced investors and traders, and may be too complicated to use for a beginner. It’s usually a good idea to look for an easy-to-use platform with a competitive fee structure if you are new to stock trading. A dedicated section with investing tips and tricks is a bonus.
  • Brokerage fees: Brokerage fees is a type of fee collected by brokers to facilitate your trades. Some brokers charge a flat fee on every trade, irrespective of the size of the order, while others calculate brokerage fees as a percentage of the order value. One key advantage of purchasing US stock is the opportunity for commission-free trading. You’ll find several online brokers that don’t charge you fees for investing in US-listed equities, but you should watch out for currency conversion fees.
  • Research and reporting: It’s important to understand how a company is performing, its future plans, stock price history, and general industry direction to make informed investment decisions. So, you should search for a platform that gives you access to solid market research and reporting tools to help you trade confidently with updated data. You can also find price forecasts and buy and sell recommendations on some trading platforms.
  • Fractional stock trading: Some trading platforms allow you to buy a part of a stock instead of the full stock. This is particularly useful when you are dealing in shares of leading US-listed companies.

Step 2: Funding your account

Once you have selected a broker, the next step is funding your trading account with money to make trades.

It can sometimes take up to three days for the funds to clear and appear in your trading account, so you may not be able to purchase stock immediately.

Step 3: Decide on the amount you wish to invest

It’s essential to consider how much money you are willing to invest in stock. It’s generally advisable to decide on an amount you can afford to lose, to avoid putting your nest egg at risk.

You can always start by investing a small amount of money. If you are purchasing US-listed stocks, you don’t have to worry about the cost of full stock, as you can buy fractional stock.

Step 4: Stocks or ETFs?

An Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) is like a mutual fund, or a basket of stocks, that can be traded as easily as individual stock.

ETFs allow you to invest in a market as a whole, instead of buying stock in any single company. As ETFs track the performance of a market, they are generally less volatile, which reduces your risk to an extent. But you are unlikely to get the kind of big gains you may expect from shares when you invest in ETFs.

ETFs such as Invesco Global Clean Energy ETF (PBD), Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (BATT), Amplify Cleaner Living ETF (DTOX), and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) all have exposure to Rivian Automotive.

Step 5: Configure your order type

You can configure your order type to protect your position when buying shares. Some popular order types available to execute your position include:

Market order

A market order is an order to buy or sell a stock at the current market price. Even though a market order is generally executed immediately, the price at which a market order gets executed is not guaranteed.

Limit order

A limit order is an order to buy or sell a stock at a specified price or better. Let’s say you want to buy Rivian stock at US$35 or lower. You could submit a limit order by setting the limit price at US$35, and the order will only execute when the stock reaches the nominated price or lower.

Stop loss

A stop order or stop loss is used to buy or sell a stock at the market price once it hits the nominated price or the stop price.

Stop limit

A stop-limit order is a combination of two order types – stop and limit orders. A stop order is used to instruct the broker to buy or sell stock when the price hits the nominated level. Conversely, you tell the broker to buy or sell a specified number of shares at the nominated price or better with a limit order.

Step 6: Execute your order

Once you have decided your order type and the amount you plan to invest, it’s time to place your order.

Login to your trading platform, type in the Rivian stock code (NASDAQ: RIVN) and execute the order you want by hitting a few buttons.

After you buy

What moves Rivian's stock price

The performance of your stock depends on several factors, including the company’s performance, its future plans, and the overall performance of the industry.

If you want to buy Rivian stock, you may want to keep an eye out for its stock price history, overall valuation and any company announcements regarding new launches and the delivery of pre-booked vehicles. You may also want to monitor the performance of competitors like Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), Nikola (NASDAQ: NKLA), and Lucid Motors (NASDAQ: LCID), which are well-established players in the EV industry.

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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