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What’s different about investing with Tangerine? Let us count the ways

February 12, 2025

Written by Ariel Teplitsky

A stack of orange coins with the Tangerine logo

Key takeaways

  • Our passively managed Index Funds are designed to keep up with the markets.

  • Our Funds have lower fees because they require less management, meaning more of your money stays invested.

  • With a proven track record, Tangerine's Portfolios gives you just the right amount of choice.

What’s different about investing with Tangerine

News flash! The digital bank you love for its no-fee daily Chequing Account and Money-Back Credit Cards also sells investments.

If you didn’t already know this, you may be surprised to learn that our Clients have billions of dollars invested with us, and we’ve been helping them reach their investment goals for more than 15 years. 

“Is this Tangerine’s best-kept secret? It shouldn’t be,” says Mike Allen, Tangerine’s head of investments. 

Our track record speaks for itself. Now, with FundGrade A+® Awards1 for the 2024 performance of Tangerine’s Balanced Growth SRI Portfolio, Balanced SRI Portfolio, and Equity Growth SRI Portfolio, you’ve got three more reasons to invest with us. 

Like everything at Canada’s orangest bank, we do investing differently. Here’s how: 

1.   Keep money in your pocket 

We wouldn’t be in the investment game if we couldn’t keep our Client fees low. The management expense ratio (MER) on our Funds – 1.06% for our Core Portfolios, 0.76% for our Global ETF Portfolios, and 0.82% for our Socially Responsible Global Portfolios – is well below the average MER of 1.94% paid on Canadian mutual funds overall2. A higher MER can negatively impact the returns on your investments. 

2.   A passive approach to investing 

How do we keep our fees low, you may ask?

Most of our Portfolios contain underlying Funds that are designed to mirror the composition of major market indexes such as the S&P 500. As the index changes, so does the Fund, with securities bought and sold automatically.

This passively managed approach results in less active time picking stocks and bonds, and more fee savings passed on to you.

As the markets change over the course of a year, the value of your investments can change along with them. Your Portfolio may have begun the quarter with 50% stocks and 50% bonds but over a few months that balance can shift in one direction or the other.

So we review the Portfolios every quarter and rebalance your investments to ensure they are diversified3 and match the mix of assets targeted for each fund. 

3.   Our track record doesn’t lie 

Did we mention the awards we picked up for three of our Socially Responsible Global Portfolios1? We’re pretty proud about it.

Yet all of our Funds have seen growth over time since their inception.

For instance, if you had invested $10,000 in our Balanced Growth Core Portfolio 10 years ago, today you would have about $20,230, after fees.4 This works out to an annual average compound return of 7.30%. 

4.   Human advisors

Want to speak to a live Investment Funds Advisor to help figure out what’s best for your future financial goals and help advise on your current finances? We’re here Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET at 1-877-464-5678.

5.   Just the right amount of choice 

We like to keep things simple. You may have heard this about us. So, unlike some other financial institutions, where the options can be overwhelming, we give it to you straight: 

a.     Five Core Portfolios: Tangerine’s OG Investment Funds, with a proven track record. An emphasis on Canadian companies, yet still well diversified internationally. Choose the Portfolio that aligns with your investment needs.

b.     Four Global ETF Portfolios: Our lowest-fee Investment Funds, made up of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) with investments in more than 45 countries. Choose from low-medium risk to medium-high risk.

c.     Four SRI Portfolios: Introduced in 2022, Tangerine’s Socially Responsible Global Portfolios focus on U.S. and Canadian stocks and bonds, avoiding controversial holdings based on a set of SRI criteria.

d.     One Money Market Fund: Tangerine’s newest Fund on the block, our Money Market Fund is designed as a stable, low-fee solution that aims to protect the value of your investment even through volatile times.

You can hold any of these Funds in an RSP, a TFSA, a RIF or a non-registered Account. 

6.   Automatic contributions

DIY investing can be a hassle, and there are often fees associated with buying and selling stocks and bonds. With Tangerine’s Investment Funds, you can make your investments automatic. Tell us how much money you’d like invested, and how often, and it’s done – hassle free. Did you know that using automatic contributions is its own sound investing strategy that can keep you from second-guessing the market? 

7.   Easy to set up, easy to understand 

You can start investing with us with as little as $25. When you sign up, we’ll walk you through what you need to know, and help you figure out the investment solution that’s best for your needs, based on your time horizon and risk appetite.

So, what are you waiting for? 

Ready to start investing?

We’ve got simple options that keep your money working for you in the short and long term. 

Learn More

1 FundGrade A+® is used with permission from Fundata Canada Inc., all rights reserved. The annual FundGrade A+® Awards are presented by Fundata Canada Inc. to recognize the “best of the best” among Canadian investment funds. The FundGrade A+® calculation is supplemental to the monthly FundGrade ratings and is calculated at the end of each calendar year. The FundGrade rating system evaluates funds based on their risk-adjusted performance, measured by Sharpe Ratio, Sortino Ratio, and Information Ratio. The score for each ratio is calculated individually, covering all time periods from 2 to 10 years. The scores are then weighted equally in calculating a monthly FundGrade. The top 10% of funds earn an A Grade; the next 20% of funds earn a B Grade; the next 40% of funds earn a C Grade; the next 20% of funds receive a D Grade; and the lowest 10% of funds receive an E Grade. To be eligible, a fund must have received a FundGrade rating every month in the previous year. The FundGrade A+® uses a GPA-style calculation, where each monthly FundGrade from “A” to “E” receives a score from 4 to 0, respectively. A fund’s average score for the year determines its GPA. Any fund with a GPA of 3.5 or greater is awarded a FundGrade A+® Award. For more information, see www.FundGradeAwards.com. Although Fundata makes every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data contained herein, the accuracy is not guaranteed by Fundata. 

2 According to the Investor Economics Special Feature Insight Investment Funds Report dated June 2024, the asset-weighted MER for A-series mutual funds for the year ending December 2023 was 1.94%.

3Diversification does not guarantee a profit or eliminate the risk of loss.

4For illustrative purposes only. Calculations as at Dec. 31, 2024. Assumes reinvestment of all income.

This article or video (the “Content”), as applicable, is provided for information purposes only. It is not to be relied upon as financial, tax or investment advice or guarantees about the future, nor should it be considered a recommendation to buy or sell. Information contained in this content, including information relating to interest rates, market conditions, tax rules, and other investment factors are subject to change without notice and Tangerine Bank is not responsible to update this information. References to any third party product or service, opinion or statement, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or approval by Tangerine Bank of any of the products, services or opinions of the third party. All third party sources are believed to be accurate and reliable as of the date of publication and Tangerine Bank does not guarantee its accuracy or reliability. Readers should consult their own professional advisor for specific financial, investment and/or tax advice tailored to their needs to ensure that individual circumstances are considered properly and action is taken based on the latest available information.

Tangerine Investment Funds are managed by 1832 Asset Management L.P. Tangerine Investment Funds Limited is the principal distributor of Tangerine Investment Funds. Tangerine Investment Funds Limited and 1832 Asset Management L.P. are wholly owned subsidiaries of The Bank of Nova Scotia. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.