What TFSA Millionaires Understand That Most Canadian Investors Don’t

Most investors who build huge wealth through a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) understand that successful investing isn’t about avoiding every downturn. It’s about owning strong businesses, staying patient through market volatility, and letting compounding do the heavy lifting over time – exactly the way it’s talked about in the Foolish Investing Philosophy.

That approach matters even more today because some excellent Canadian stocks are not moving in straight lines due mainly to economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions. And short-term weakness in quality stocks could hide long-term opportunity, especially when the underlying business remains important to customers.

In this article, I’ll highlight two top Canadian stocks TFSA investors may want to consider for long-term wealth creation.

A commerce platform built for scale

The first stock is Shopify (TSX:SHOP), the Ottawa-based commerce platform that provides internet infrastructure for merchants of all sizes.

SHOP stock currently trades at $151.58 per share, giving the company a market cap of $199.7 billion. The shares are up 5% over the last year but down 31% so far in 2026, which shows why long-term conviction matters.

Despite weakness in its shares, Shopify’s latest results still showed strong business momentum. In the first quarter of 2026, the Canadian e-commerce giant’s revenue grew 34% year over year, while free cash flow (FCF) margin held at 15%. Its gross merchandise volume (GMV) surpassed US$100 billion in the quarter, highlighting the scale of commerce running through its platform.

Meanwhile, Shopify is also investing in merchant tools, artificial intelligence (AI), and internal systems that could make its platform more valuable over time. That long-term reinvestment is exactly what patient TFSA investors should watch.

A railway with a rare network

The second stock TFSA investors can consider right now is Canadian Pacific Kansas City (TSX:CP), or CPKC, the railway linking Canada, the United States, and Mexico through a single network.

CP stock recently closed at $120.81 per share, with a market cap of $107.2 billion. Its shares have gained nearly 10% over the last year and 20% so far in 2026. The stock also pays a small 0.9% dividend yield at the current market price.

Canadian Pacific Kansas City reported revenue of $3.7 billion in its latest quarter (ended in March), while continuing to improve network fluidity and terminal performance. Its operating ratio was 66%, and core adjusted diluted earnings came in at $1.04 per share.

Overall, this transportation giant offers a great compounding opportunity as rail networks are hard to replicate, and CPKC’s Canada-U.S.-Mexico footprint gives it a unique position in North American trade. That scarcity value can matter over decades.

These TFSA-friendly stocks could help you build long-term wealth

Together, the two stocks show that TFSA wealth can come from different sources. Shopify offers platform growth, while CP offers infrastructure-like durability. Both require patience, but neither depends on a quick trade to make the investment case work.

Although no stock is risk-free, TFSA millionaires often understand that risk is not the same as danger when the business quality remains high. Shopify and CPKC both have powerful platforms, large addressable markets, and long-term growth paths. That is what makes them worth holding patiently.

The post What TFSA Millionaires Understand That Most Canadian Investors Don’t appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.

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More reading

• 2 Canadian Tech Stocks Ready to Rise Through 2026
• Are You Using Your TFSA the Right Way? Many Canadians Aren’t
• The ETF I Keep Buying and Plan to Hold Forever — Here’s Why
• 1 Canadian Stock for Growth, 1 for Value, and 1 for Dividends — All Worth Buying Now
• 1 Smart Way to Use a TFSA to Increase Your Contribution

Fool contributor Jitendra Parashar has positions in Shopify. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends Canadian Pacific Kansas City. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.