Mr. Dimitri Busevs reports

RBC OPENS UP TRADING AROUND THE WORLD IN MULTIPLE CURRENCIES TO ONLINE INVESTORS, ALONG WITH AVION POINTS AND CASH INCENTIVES FOR NEW ONLINE INVESTING CLIENTS

Bringing access to markets around the globe, Royal Bank of Canada's RBC Direct Investing has launched on-line international trading in multiple foreign currencies for all its investors -- becoming the only bank-owned on-line brokerage in Canada to offer this capability.

RBC Direct Investing clients can trade on-line through the London, Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Euronext Paris exchanges, and hold and trade in eight global currencies -- including the British pound, Hong Kong dollar and euro. This new capability is in addition to being able to trade on-line in U.S. markets and hold and trade in U.S. dollars. Clients can also trade by phone in multiple international markets.

The added benefits:

• Clients with an RBC British pound, Hong Kong dollar or euro eSavings account can instantly transfer funds, within the standard business day, in the same currency between their RBC account and their RBC Direct Investing account.
• From within an RBC Direct Investing account, that currency is then immediately available for on-line international trading -- no wire transfers and no delays.
• Also, once clients hold GBP, HKD, EUR, JPY, CHF, SGD, AUD and NZD foreign currencies in their RBC Direct Investing account, they can trade in the same currency with no further foreign exchange fees.

"All our self-directed investors already have the strength of three powerful trading platforms, plus extensive research and commentary at their fingertips -- now, we are bringing them on-line access to trade around the world," said Dimitri Busevs, president and chief executive officer, RBC Direct Investing, one of Canada's largest on-line investment brokerages.

Up to 500,000 more reasons to begin on-line investing with RBC

At the same time, for Canadians who are not yet investing on-line with RBC, there are up to 500,000 more reasons for doing so. That is how many Avion points -- worth up to $10,000 in travel value -- investors new to RBC Direct Investing or to RBC InvestEase can gain, when they open and finance an eligible account with either of these services by March 3, 2025. They can also receive $300 in cash and other benefits.

"For Canadians who may not have considered RBC on-line investing options before, this is an opportunity to gain up to 500,000 Avion points to use as they wish -- to pay commissions on Canadian-dollar and U.S.-dollar trades, fund their RBC Direct Investing account, or help make a special trip possible," added Mr. Busevs. "This is yet another reason to take a look at the ease, convenience and depth of our trading platform."

"We understand Canadians want their money to work harder for them, and with this offer, we are rewarding them for choosing RBC to help them make that happen," noted Christine Socasau, head of RBC InvestEase. "We expect the opportunity to obtain up to half a million Avion points will be highly appealing to clients new to RBC InvestEase, who value professional advice at a reasonable cost."

As an on-line investment management service, RBC InvestEase also gives investors the invaluable gift of time. "We do all the heavy lifting for them," explained Ms. Socasau. "We build, manage, monitor and rebalance their ETF portfolios on a daily basis, letting our clients enjoy their lives while we take care of their investments."

Additional information about on-line international trading through RBC Direct Investing is available at nine international trading questions answered and what to know to get started.

About Royal Bank of Canada

Royal Bank is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Its success comes from the 98,000-plus employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring the bank's vision, values and strategy to life so it can help its clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, it has a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to its more than 18 million clients in Canada, the United States and 27 other countries.

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