Interac e-Transfer Guide Canada 2026: How to Send, Receive, Limits & Safety

Interac e-Transfer is Canada’s standard way to move money between bank accounts — paying rent, splitting bills, paying a contractor, or receiving a deposit from a stranger on Marketplace. It works 24/7, processes in minutes, and is free on most Canadian banking plans.

This guide covers everything: how to send and receive, how to set up Autodeposit, limits by bank, how to cancel a transfer, security risks and how to avoid them, and what to do when something goes wrong.

Quick reference — key e-Transfer facts

How to send an Interac e-Transfer

The exact path varies slightly by bank but the steps are the same everywhere:

1. Log in to your bank’s mobile app or online banking
2. Find Interac e-Transfer — usually under Transfers, Payments, or Send Money
3. Add or select a contact — enter the recipient’s email address or mobile number and give them a nickname for future use
4. Enter the amount — must be within your per-transaction limit
5. Set a security question and answer — only required if the recipient does not have Autodeposit. Choose something the recipient will know but that is not guessable from public information. Do not send the answer through the same channel as the notification
6. Add an optional message — useful context (“March rent” / “Dinner split”)
7. Confirm and send

The recipient receives an email from [email protected] or an SMS with instructions to deposit.

Bank-specific paths

How to receive an Interac e-Transfer

Without Autodeposit

1. Check your email for a notification from [email protected] (check spam if you don’t see it)
2. Click the deposit button in the email
3. Select your bank from the list
4. Log in to your bank’s online banking or app (if not already in)
5. Answer the security question set by the sender
6. Choose which account to deposit into
7. Confirm — funds appear within a few minutes

With Autodeposit

Nothing to do — the money deposits automatically into your registered account within minutes. No email link to click, no security question, no login required to receive.

Setting up Autodeposit (recommended for everyone)

Autodeposit eliminates the main security risk of e-Transfer (phishing via fake deposit links) and makes receiving money effortless. Set it up once.

Steps:

1. Log in to your bank’s online banking or mobile app
2. Go to Interac e-Transfer settings (usually under your profile or the e-Transfer menu)
3. Find Autodeposit and tap Register or Set up
4. Enter your email address or mobile phone number
5. Select which account incoming transfers should go to
6. Confirm via a verification link sent to the email/phone you entered

Once registered, anyone sending you an e-Transfer sees that you have Autodeposit enabled. They do not need to create a security question, and you never need to click a link in an email to receive funds.

You can change the deposit account at any time by going back to Autodeposit settings. If you have multiple accounts, you can choose which one receives all incoming transfers.

e-Transfer limits by bank (2026)

Limits are set by each bank individually — the Interac network itself supports up to $25,000 per transaction, but your bank enforces a lower default. Most banks will raise your limit on request for accounts in good standing.

Limits vary by account type and may increase for premium or business accounts. Verify current limits in your bank’s app or by calling your bank.

Requesting a limit increase: Contact your bank directly — through the app, by phone, or in branch. Most banks will approve an increase for customers with a history of regular activity and no fraud issues. Some (like TD and RBC) let you request online through the Interac e-Transfer settings in the app.

Multiple employers / multiple transfers: If you have multiple employers or multiple large payments to send, note that each bank deducts independently. Hitting your daily cap with one bank cannot be bypassed by using a second bank account at the same institution. If you regularly need to send more than $10,000/day, a wire transfer is the alternative — it has no practical limit but costs $15–$50 per transaction.

e-Transfer fees by bank (2026)

Incoming e-Transfers are always free at every bank. Fees only apply to outgoing transfers on accounts that do not include unlimited transactions. If you send e-Transfers regularly, make sure your account plan includes them — or consider switching to a no-fee digital bank (Tangerine, Simplii, EQ Bank, Wealthsimple Cash) where e-Transfers are always free.

How to cancel an Interac e-Transfer

You can cancel a transfer as long as the recipient has not yet accepted or auto-deposited it.

Steps:

1. Log in to your bank’s app or online banking
2. Go to Interac e-Transfer
3. Find the transfer under Pending, Sent, or Transaction History
4. Select the transfer and tap Cancel
5. Confirm the cancellation — funds return to your account immediately or within 30 minutes

You cannot cancel if:

• The recipient has already accepted the transfer
• The recipient has Autodeposit enabled and the funds have already deposited
• The transfer has expired (it returns automatically after 30 days)

If you sent to the wrong email address: Cancel immediately if still pending. If it has already been accepted by the wrong person, contact your bank’s fraud team right away — do not reach out to the unknown recipient yourself. Your bank will attempt to recover the funds through Interac’s dispute process, but recovery is not guaranteed once funds are in someone else’s account.

Interac e-Transfer Request (Request Money)

Most banks support the Request Money feature, which lets you send a payment request to someone rather than initiating the send yourself. This is useful for invoicing, splitting bills, or requesting payment from someone who owes you money.

How it works:

1. Go to Interac e-Transfer in your bank’s app
2. Select Request Money (sometimes called “Request Funds”)
3. Enter the email or phone of the person you want to pay you
4. Enter the amount and an optional message
5. Send the request

The recipient receives a notification showing the amount you are requesting. They can accept (pay you) or decline. If they accept, the funds transfer just like a normal e-Transfer — if they have Autodeposit on your account, it deposits automatically.

Request limits are typically the same as send limits — $3,000 per request, $10,000 per day. Not all banks support Request Money; check in your app’s e-Transfer section.

e-Transfer security: avoiding scams

Interac e-Transfer is secure, but the email notification format is exploited by fraudsters.

Phishing scams

The most common attack: a fraudster sends a fake e-Transfer notification email designed to look identical to a real Interac email. When you click the deposit link, it takes you to a fake bank login page that steals your credentials.

How to protect yourself:

• Never click deposit links in unexpected e-Transfer emails from unknown senders. Always accept transfers by opening your bank’s app or website directly, then navigating to e-Transfer
• The real Interac system will never ask for your full banking password to accept a transfer
• Check the sender’s email — real Interac notifications come from [email protected] only
• If you did not expect a transfer, call the supposed sender on a number you already have — do not use contact details provided in the suspicious email

The overpayment scam

A fraudster “pays” you too much via e-Transfer (e.g., for a Marketplace item), then asks you to refund the difference. The original transfer turns out to be fraudulent or reversed by the bank later, leaving you out the amount you refunded. Never refund part of an e-Transfer before the funds have fully cleared and you have verified the payment is legitimate.

The deposit request scam

A scammer claims you need to “verify” or “accept” a transfer by sending them a small amount first. Interac e-Transfer never requires you to send money to receive money. Any such request is a scam.

Why Autodeposit makes e-Transfer safer

When you have Autodeposit enabled, there is no security question in transit and no link to click. The phishing attack vector (fake deposit link) does not exist. Setting up Autodeposit is the single most effective step to make receiving e-Transfers safer.

Common problems and fixes

Notification went to spam Ask the recipient to check their spam folder for an email from [email protected]. Have them whitelist that address for future transfers. If they still cannot find it, re-send the transfer to a different email address they may have.

Transfer expired before being accepted Transfers expire after 30 days. The funds automatically return to your account when this happens. Resend the transfer after confirming the correct contact details with the recipient. Some banks charge a small cancellation fee when a transfer expires.

Sent to the wrong email address Cancel immediately if the transfer is still pending. If claimed, contact your bank’s fraud line right away. See the cancellation section above.

Security question answer rejected The answer is case-sensitive at some banks and case-insensitive at others. Confirm the exact answer with the sender. If the recipient is locked out after multiple failed attempts, they should contact their bank — the transfer may need to be cancelled and resent.

Recipient says they did not receive the notification Check that you sent to the correct email or phone number. Ask the recipient to check spam. If you used a phone number, confirm they have SMS enabled for their number. Some recipients have Autodeposit set up to a different email/phone than the one you sent to — their bank may have auto-deposited to the wrong account, in which case they should check all their bank accounts.

Transfer shows as “pending” for longer than expected Most transfers complete in minutes. If pending more than a few hours, check whether the recipient has Autodeposit (should be instant) or is using manual acceptance. Some banks have processing delays overnight. If pending more than 24 hours, contact your bank.

Interac e-Transfer vs. alternatives

For transfers above your e-Transfer daily limit, a wire transfer is the main domestic alternative — no practical maximum, but costs $15–$50 and only processes during banking hours. A bank draft is better for large purchases where the payee requires guaranteed funds (real estate deposits, vehicle purchases).

Related articles

• Interac e-Transfer Limits by Bank 2026
• How Long Does an Interac e-Transfer Take?
• Bounced e-Transfer — What Happens?
• Sent Money to Wrong Account in Canada
• Wire Transfer Canada
• Best Apps to Send Money in Canada