How to send more than your e-Transfer limit.

Most major Canadian banks cap personal Interac e-Transfers at $3,000 per transaction. If you need to send more than that — buying a car, paying contractors, sending a deposit — you have six real options.

1. Raise your bank's limit (where allowed)

The cheapest fix — but not every bank allows it. Some let you adjust by phone, in-app, or in-branch; others have fixed caps you cannot raise.

• Wealthsimple — adjust in-app, in $1,000 increments, up to $50,000/day for eligible clients. The most generous in Canada.
• TD, CIBC — by phone. Scotiabank — in the Scotia app under Manage transaction limits.
• National Bank — cannot be raised ($4,000 per 25 hours, $14,000 per 7 days). ATB, BMO — no published way to go above the default.
• RBC — cannot be raised. RBC's $10,000/day cap (after mobile identity verification) is fixed.
• EQ Bank — the default is already $5,000/day and $50,000/month, among the highest in Canada.
• Desjardins — cannot be raised. Personal cap is fixed at $5,000/day.

See all bank limits for the exact caps.

2. Split across multiple days

If you're not in a rush, sending the daily limit each day for a few days is the cheapest path. It's free, you don't change banks, and you don't take on a new payment method.

Trade-offs: The recipient sees multiple transfers. If the deal closes on a deadline, this is too slow.

3. Bill payment to the recipient's bank

If the recipient is a business that's set up as a bill payee in your bank, you can usually send much larger amounts via bill payment. Free, but takes 1–3 business days, and the recipient must be on your bank's payee list.

4. Wire transfer

Domestic wire transfers in Canada generally support amounts well into six figures. Same-day at many banks. The trade-off is fees: typically $30–$80 per outgoing wire (RBC from $45, TD $50, BMO about $40 plus a $10 communication charge, CIBC tiered up to $80), plus a possible incoming fee of $15–$17.50 on the recipient's side.

Coming soon: Payments Canada's Real-Time Rail is scheduled to launch in Q4 2026, bringing real-time, data-rich payments between Canadian financial institutions. Banks must be able to receive RTR payments at launch, but sending will roll out gradually, so check with your bank before counting on it for a large same-day payment.

See e-Transfer vs wire transfer for a side-by-side.

5. EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer)

EFT is the system behind direct deposit and pre-authorized debits. Lower per-transaction cost than a wire, but slower (1–3 business days). Best when:

• You're paying the same recipient repeatedly (think rent, contractors, payroll).
• You don't need same-day settlement.
• You're already set up with the recipient's banking details.

See e-Transfer vs EFT.

6. Wise (for cross-border)

If the money is going outside Canada, Wise is usually the cheapest path. e-Transfer is Canada-only, so it isn't an option for international payments. See e-Transfer vs Wise.

Quick comparison

Option	Typical limit	Cost	Speed
Raise bank limit	$5K–$50K / day	Free	Same day
Multi-day split	Daily cap × N	Free	Spread over days
Bill payment	Tens of thousands	Free	1–3 business days
Wire transfer	$100K+	$30–$80	Same / next day
EFT	$10K+ depending on bank	Low	1–3 business days

Related guides

• e-Transfer limits by bank
• Sending large amounts in Canada ($10K+)
• e-Transfer vs wire transfer
• e-Transfer vs EFT