- Business
- EQB Inc. operates as a Canadian digital financial services company primarily through its wholly owned subsidiary, Equitable Bank, which is the country's seventh largest Schedule I bank by assets. Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Toronto, the company offers a comprehensive suite of banking and wealth management products and services. Equitable Bank’s main offerings include residential mortgage lending with products such as fixed and adjustable rate mortgages, reverse mortgages, and home equity lines of credit (HELOC); commercial mortgage lending; savings products including term deposits, guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), high-interest savings accounts (HISA), tax-free savings accounts (TFSA), retirement savings plans (RSP), and notice savings accounts; consumer lending via partnerships that deliver lending solutions for retail purchases and home improvements; and a digital Payment-as-a-Service (PaaS) platform targeting fintechs and program managers. EQB also delivers wealth management services through its majority-owned subsidiary ACM Advisors, which specializes in alternative asset management including social and climate funds planned for institutional investors.
Recent major changes for EQB Inc. include a strategic restructuring program announced in late 2025 aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and focusing capital allocation on growth opportunities. This initiative involves approximately $67 million in restructuring charges, including workforce reductions and impairment of certain intangible assets and equipment financing exposures. The restructuring is designed to boost productivity and return on equity by prioritizing high-yield projects. Additionally, EQB continues to diversify its funding sources beyond traditional methods through digital banking via EQ Bank, covered bonds, and bearer deposit notes. The company has also made strides in sustainability with commitments to social and climate investing through ACM Advisors’ new fund launching in 2025. Despite pressures in the equipment financing portfolio in 2024, EQB maintains a strong credit profile with nearly all its loan book secured and holds a first credit position on all loans.
EQB Inc. serves a broad range of retail and commercial customers across Canada, operating in the personal, commercial, and wealth management financial services segments. It maintains operations through Equitable Bank’s digital-first platform EQ Bank, which launched in 2016 and offers various digital banking products and services across Canada, excluding some products like HELOC in Quebec. The company generated over $3 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024, demonstrating sustained growth in asset management and diversified lending lines, affirming its position as a challenger bank focused on innovation in Canadian banking markets.
This comprehensive digital and traditional banking model, combined with strategic restructuring and sustainability initiatives, positions EQB Inc. as a dynamic player in Canada's financial services sector. Its ongoing expansion in payment services and consumer lending through digital partnerships complements its core residential and commercial lending offerings. The company's headquarters remain in Toronto, and it employs approximately 1,900 people across its businesses.
Overall, EQB Inc. continues to drive growth through a diversified product portfolio, strategic focus on operational efficiency, and an increasing commitment to responsible and sustainable financial solutions.