Mogo Acquires Moka in a 64-Million All-Stock Transaction

Priyanka
Author:
Priyanka
Priyanka Correia, BComm
Senior Editor at Loans Canada
As a senior member of the Loans Canada team, Priyanka Correia is committed to empowering Canadians with the knowledge they need to make smart financial choices.
Expertise:
  • Personal finance
  • Consumer borrowing
  • Consumer banking
  • Debt management
Caitlin
Reviewed By:
Caitlin
Caitlin Wood, BA
Editor-in-Chief at Loans Canada
Caitlin Wood has more than a decade of experience helping Canadian consumers learn how to take control of their finances. Expertise:
  • Personal finance
  • Consumer borrowing
  • Credit improvement
  • Debt management
📅
Updated On: March 26, 2021
Get a free, no obligation personal loan quote with rates as low as 9.99%
Free quote with no impact to your credit

Tuesday, March 23, 2021, Mogo; a major player in the FinTech industry announced that they have entered into a binding letter of intent to acquire  100% of Moka Financial Technologies Inc. The acquisition of Moka; an innovative saving and investing app, will allow Mogo to enter the $4+Trillion dollar Canadian wealth management industry. This $64 million deal is expected to come to a definitive agreement and close in Q2 2021.

Who is Mogo?

Mogo is a financial technology company established in 2015. It offers innovative ways to manage, borrow, and invest money. Their goal is to help Canadians gain control over their finances so that they can make better financial decisions. In fact, Mogo is already trusted by over a million members. Mogo Members are able to gain access to the Mogo digital spending account where they can track their Mogo Visa* Platinum Prepaid Card and invest in bitcoin. Members can also monitor their credit score for free, and opt for services like identity theft protection and personal loans.

Who is Moka?

Moka is a Montreal-based company that has been growing exponentially since 2017. Since its inception, it has expanded to France and its app has been downloaded by over 1 million users. Moka is a fintech company with a social mission to help empower Canadians by making it easier to gain financial control. The Moka app works by rounding up your daily transactions and then using that spare change to invest. While you can’t invest in individual stocks, Moka simplifies the process by automating everything and invests your spare change in low-cost ETFs. Users can invest through a TSFA, RRSP, or a non-registered account. With no minimum investment requirements and a fully automated system, Canadians with little financial knowledge can start saving and investing easily using Moka.  

More on The Agreement

Mogo will be acquiring Moka in a 64 million all-stock deal. As part of the deal, Mogo will be purchasing all of Moka’s issued and outstanding shares, while Moka will take hold of 5 million Mogo common shares. Moreover, Mogo will assume net debt of 3 million as part of the agreement. More details will be hashed out as the closing transaction date draws near. 

Why is Mogo Acquiring Moka? 

The acquisition of Moka is a strategic horizontal integration of two businesses. Typically, when this happens, the motive behind it includes economies of scale, increased market share, and greater product or company differentiation. In Mogo’s case, we can see a clear increase in market share and product differentiation. 

Increased Market Share

There are many players in the fintech industry, from major giants to company start-ups and gaining market share can be difficult. But with Mogo’s acquisition of Moka, Mogo’s member base is expected to increase by over 40%. According to the press release, this increase will “accelerate the growth of [their] subscription & transaction-based revenue”. Which in turn, will let Mogo gain market share in the $4+ trillion wealth management industry. Moreover, the acquisition provides them with the ability to expand their services to Quebec, furthering their goals of gaining market share. 

Increased Differentiation 

Company or product differentiation is a major competitive advantage for most businesses. With the acquisition of Moka, Mogo will be able to offer its members more products, tools, and features that can help reach their financial goals. 

By leveraging Moka’s investing platform, Mogo will gain access to “over $250 million of AUM along with registered portfolio management capabilities throughout Canada & Europe” which will help Mogo form the core of MogoWealth. 

Moreover, Moka’s innovative saving and investing app particularly compliments Mogo’s existing service Mogo Crypto; which is an account that allows users to invest in bitcoin. Thanks to Moka’s technology, Mogo will be able to accelerate its plan to “launch a free stock trading solution for Canadians”. 

New Shareholders

Along with Moka, the purchase of Moka will bring in new shareholders for Mogo, including:

  • Desjardins Capital
  • National Bank of Canada
  • Ferst Capital Partners

To top it off Philip Barrar; founder & CEO of Moka and Dr. Liam Cheung; Moka’s chairman and partners will be joining Mogo’s team. Mr.Barrar is expected to join as the Chief Innovation Officer while Dr.Cheung will join Mogo’s board of directors. 

Priyanka Correia, BComm avatar on Loans Canada
Priyanka Correia, BComm

Priyanka Correia is a Senior Editor and personal finance expert at Loans Canada. Priyanka completed her Bachelor's degree in Marketing at Concordia University and has published work that has been mentioned in various news media. She is passionate about money management and educating Canadian consumers about how to take control of their financial lives.

More From This Author

Special Offers

More From Our Experts

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Cash-Advance.png
What Is A Cash Advance In Canada?

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on October 6, 2025

Whether you're looking for quick cash or need to cover an unexpected expense, a cash advance can help. Read on to find out more.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/line-of-credit-bad-credit-1.png
Can You Get A Line Of Credit If You Have Bad Credit In Canada?

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on October 2, 2025

Can you get a line of credit if you have bad credit in Canada? This blog explains how you can, and the potential perks and drawbacks.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Cash-Secured-Loan-1.png
Your Guide To Secured Loans In Canada

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on October 2, 2025

If you struggle with self-discipline while building savings & good credit, a cash secured loan may be perfect for you. Learn more here.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Top-Growing-Companies-2025-Blog-3.png
Loans Canada Places No. 137 on The Globe and Mail’s Seventh Annual Ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies

By Priyanka Correia, BComm
Updated on September 26, 2025

Loans Canada is proud to be recognized as one of the Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Companies list for the third time.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/apple-financing.png
Apple Financing Options In Canada: What You Need To Know

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on September 24, 2025

Looking to buy an Apple product but the price tag is a bitt too steep? Consider Apple financing in Canada. Check out this post to learn more.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/What-Is-a-Credit-Reference.png
What Is A Credit Reference In Canada?

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on September 24, 2025

When applying for new credit, your lender may request that you provide a credit reference. Read on to find out more about credit references.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Personal-Loan-Brokers.png
Personal Loan Brokers In Canada

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on September 24, 2025

Looking for the best lender and loan offer? Instead of finding one on your own, consider using a personal loan broker to help.

https://loanscanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/loan-origination-fee-1.png
Loan Origination Fee: What You Need To Know

By Lisa Rennie
Updated on September 17, 2025

Loans come with several costs, including loan origination fees. Read on to find out more about how this fee affects your total loan cost.

Recognized As One Of Canada's Top Growing Companies

Why choose Loans Canada?

Apply Once &
Get Multiple Offers
Save Time
And Money
Get Your Free
Credit Score
Free
Service
Expert Tips
And Advice
Exclusive
Offers