Apart from Coinbase and Kraken, the rest are Canada-focused platforms, with Bitbuy being the oldest.
Looking for the best crypto exchanges in Canada to buy and sell digital currencies? While Canada is considered a crypto-friendly nation, it has implemented stringent cryptocurrency laws and regulations. In this article, we’ve identified the top Canadian exchanges based on various parameters such as features, fees, security, and legal compliance. We’ve also covered cryptocurrency tax rules in Canada and how to choose the right crypto asset trading platform.
Top Canadian Crypto Exchanges at a Glance for 2026
10 Best Crypto Exchanges in Canada: Detailed Reviews
1. Crypto.com – Best for CRO-based benefits
Crypto.com is a global digital asset exchange established in 2016 and headquartered in Singapore. Known for its innovative products, competitive fees, and a wide coin selection, Crypto.com serves 150M+ users across 90 countries. In Canada, it is registered as a restricted dealer and regulated by the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) and other provincial regulators.
Key Features
* Spot trading: Crypto.com supports 400+ coins and 599+ trading pairs.
* Crypto baskets: The exchange offers 8 thematic baskets with an auto-rebalancing feature.
* Earn: You can lock up 21+ cryptocurrencies and earn rewards of up to 4.5% p.a in CRO.
* On-chain staking: Investors can earn a passive income of up to 19.23% p.a. by staking their idle crypto assets.
* Visa prepaid card: Crypto.com offers 6 card tiers: Midnight Blue (Free), Ruby Steel, Jade Green/Royal Indigo, Icy White/Rose Gold, Obsidian, and Prime. To qualify for at least a Ruby steel card, you must pay CA$6.99 per month or CA$69.90 annually. If you don’t prefer subscription fees, you can lock up CRO worth CA$650 for 12 months instead.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
2. Bitbuy – Best for multi-layer security
BitBuy is the oldest and first fully regulated crypto asset trading platform in Canada. It is licensed by the Canadian Securities Administration (CSA) and the OSC. It is registered as a money services business (MSB) with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).
Key Features
* Pro Trade: It is an advanced trading interface with sophisticated charting tools and technical indicators.
* Staking: You can stake eligible cryptocurrencies and earn up to 13.43% in rewards.
* Alpha: For institutional investors, Bitbuy offers an OTC desk and access to the best rates on multiple crypto coins. It ensures zero slippage and allows users to connect with live traders for instant quotes daily. Moreover, Bitbuy has partnered with Bitgo to provide custodial services.
* Security: The exchange stores 90% of customer assets in cold storage and has insured the assets against unforeseen events. It has also implemented additional security measures like two-factor authentication (2FA), a closed-source codebase, and proof-of-reserves.
* Express Trade: This feature allows you to quickly buy/sell cryptocurrencies using Canadian Dollars (CAD).
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
3. Coinbase – Best for USDC rewards
Coinbase is the biggest publicly traded crypto exchange globally. It is licensed to operate in 100+ countries, and boasts annual trading volumes of over $1.2T and assets worth $376B. In Canada, Coinbase is registered as a restricted dealer in multiple provinces and as an MSB with FINTRAC.
Key Features
* Quick buy/sell: You can trade 200+ cryptocurrencies on Coinbase.
* Coinbase Advanced: It is a professional-grade trading interface with cutting-edge charting tools and APIs for advanced traders and developers. It enables you to trade 550+ spot pairs and perpetual futures with up to 50x leverage. It also comes with real-time order books, TradingView integration, and custom watchlists.
* Coinbase One: By subscribing to Coinbase One, you can unlock zero-fee trading, priority support, up to 3.75% APY on USDC, and more.
* Staking: Traders can stake eligible tokens and earn up to 14% APY.
* USDC rewards: You can get up to 3.35% in rewards by simply holding USDC.
* Base App: From trading and staking to exploring games, the Base App enhances your trading experience on the go.
* Security: Coinbase has implemented potent safety measures such as 2FA, password protection, data encryption, and multi-approval withdrawals. It also holds customer funds 1:1.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
4. Wealthsimple – Best For Robo Advisory Services
If you want to build a diversified portfolio and access expert-designed, custom portfolios, Wealthsimple is worth exploring. It is an all-in-one ecosystem designed to help investors manage their financial needs, including taxes and mortgages, in one place. Its hallmark features include commission-free stock/ETF investing, fractional trading of physical gold, and zero-cost options trading. Wealthsimple Crypto is registered as an MSB with FINTRAC and regulated by the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO).
Key Features
* Crypto trading: Wealthsimple enables you to buy/sell 140+ coins, including popular cryptocurrencies like Solana, Ethereum, and Bitcoin. Moreover, you can instantly deposit and start trading after you sign up.
* Low trading fees: You can trade crypto with fees as low as 0.05%. You can further cut your transaction time and costs in half by swapping one eligible crypto for another.
* Automatic order execution: You just need to specify a target price, and the platform will execute the order once the cryptocurrency reaches that price.
* Staking: Wealthsimple facilitates Ethereum, Cardano, Polkadot, and Solana staking. Depending on the coin you stake, you can earn up to 9% p.a.
* Security: Each custodial partner of Wealthsimple maintains a cold storage coverage worth $75M to safeguard your assets against hacks/thefts. The exchange stores the majority of user assets in cold wallets, while those lying in hot wallets are covered too.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
5. Kraken Pro – Best For Advanced Traders
Whether you want to engage in spot, derivatives, margin, or OTC trading, Kraken Pro serves as a one-stop destination. It supports multiple order types and offers a variety of technical indicators, enabling you to track 4 markets simultaneously. Though Kraken is a US-based exchange, it is one of the top platforms to buy/sell crypto in Canada. It is registered under Payward Canada Inc as an MSB with FINTRAC. It is also registered as a restricted dealer with OSC and securities regulators in various Canadian territories/provinces.
Key Features
* Wide asset selection: Kraken Pro enables you to trade 630+ assets, including stablecoins and fiat currencies.
* 24/7 customer support: You can contact the support team via email, phone, and live chat. Usually, the Kraken support team has a speedy response time of less than 30 seconds.
* Earn: You can stake your crypto holdings and earn a passive income of up to 24% APY.
* Futures trading: Kraken Pro enables you to trade 300+ perpetual futures and supports multiple collateral and payout options.
* Margin trading: The platform offers up to 10x leverage for spot trading and up to 50x leverage for derivatives trading.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
6. NDAX – Best For Advanced Order Types
NDAX is a Canada-only crypto exchange that caters to both beginner and advanced traders. It supports 65+ tradeable cryptocurrencies, including stablecoins, memecoins, and top digital currencies like BTC, SOL, and XRP. Founded in 2018, NDAX is a legally-compliant exchange that is registered with FINTRAC, Revenue Quebec, and CIRO.
Key Features
* Multiple order types: NDAX supports different order types, including limit, stop, trailing-stop, IOC, reserve/iceberg, and fill/kill orders.
* Auto Invest: This feature uses Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) to automate your scheduled crypto purchases.
* Institutional-grade security: NDAX has implemented strong security measures like 2FA, DDoS protection, MPC hot wallets, cold storage, and multi-signature approvals. It has set up a $3M and $5M insurance coverage per incident for hot and cold wallets, respectively.
* Simple trading: NDAX provides a streamlined interface to help you buy/sell cryptocurrencies in a few clicks.
* Advanced trading: For experienced investors, NDAX offers a sophisticated interface with live market data, technical indicators, customizable charts, and intuitive order books.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
7. Newton – Best For Low Fees
Newton is a Canada-focused platform that buys from and sells cryptocurrencies to its users directly. It imposes a nominal trading fee and doesn’t collect deposit/withdrawal charges. Moreover, Newton is registered with FINTRAC, CIRO, and the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA).
Key Features
* Crypto trading: Newton enables you to trade 60+ coins effortlessly. It offers an array of features, including portfolio trackers, widgets, price notifications, and monthly statements, to boost your trading experience.
* Low fees: The exchange covers up to $5 of network fees and helps you trade with as little as $10. If you’re a high-volume trader, your fees can be as low as 0.50%
* Earn: You can stake ETH, SOL, ADA, SUI, ATOM, DOT, or NEAR tokens and receive up to 12.10% APY.
* Security: Newton is an SOC2 Type II-certified organization with potent security features like cold storage, MFA, AES256-bit encryption, theft insurance, etc.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
8. VirgoCX – Best for API trading
VirgoCX is one of the best Canadian exchanges, featuring a large number of cryptocurrencies, including hot coins. It is a non-custodial platform, granting you complete control over your digital assets. It is registered as an MSB with FINTRAC and adheres to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Key Features
* Buy/sell crypto: VirgoCX allows you to purchase, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies using CAD and USD. It also enables you to set up recurring buys.
* API: The platform provides easy-to-use application programming interfaces to help traders and developers automate transactions and optimize their trading experiences.
* Security: VirgoCX has formulated stringent cybersecurity policies. Your fiat assets are held by the exchange’s trusted banking partners. Furthermore, VirgoCX is PIPEDA-compliant, a data privacy law in Canada.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
9. Shakepay – Best for trading Bitcoin
Launched in 2015, Shakepay is a crypto app exclusively designed to help Canadians pay/send money and earn/buy Bitcoin smoothly. Currently, it has a user base of over 1M. It is registered as an MSB with FINTRAC and as an investment dealer with Canadian securities regulators across provinces. It is also regulated by CIRO.
Key Features
* Visa prepaid card: You will earn up to 1.5% cashback in BTC whenever you purchase at a supported merchant outlet.
* Security: ShakePay has established industry-leading security measures like multi-party approvals, withdrawal whitelisting, 2FA, device locks, and segregated accounts for storing CAD. It also stores most customer assets in insured cold storage, protecting them against damage, theft, private key loss, and other unexpected events.
* Shakepay Blue: Shakepay offers three reward statuses: Base, Bright, and Blue. The higher your status, the higher your BTC rewards. If you qualify for Blue, you’ll earn 1.5% cashback in Bitcoin, 3% interest on cash, and 500 shakingSats. You’re also entitled to priority support and zero card FX fees.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
10. Coinsquare – Best for Institutional Traders
Coinsquare is a reputable Canadian-based exchange that was launched in 2014 boost investor participation in the crypto market. It is the pioneer CIRO-regulated crypto marketplace and is registered as an MSB with FINTRAC. It supports 50+ coins and over 1,300 trading pairs.
Key Features
* Trade: You can buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies using the Coinsquare Trade app and enjoy feeless deposit/withdrawal options.
* Wealth: Coinsquare provides investors with personalised services from wealth experts. It also offers an OTC trading desk that harnesses advanced technologies to boost liquidity and execute large orders optimally. Moreover, Wealth clients gain access to CIRO-registered investment representatives.
* Pro: It is an intuitive interface specifically designed for advanced traders. It comes with a high-performance trading engine, depth charts, and real-time order books.
* Staking: You can stake eligible tokens for tenures ranging between 1 and 36 months and earn up to 13.43% in rewards.
* Alpha: It exclusively caters to VIP traders and institutional investors. It encompasses OTC services, spot trading of 65+ assets and 4,200+ trading pairs, API connectivity, and custodial solutions.
Fee Structure
Pros and Cons
How to Choose the Best Crypto Exchange in Canada?
1. Trading Fees
If you’re a novice or an active trader, a crypto trading platform charging relatively low fees is preferable. Many exchanges offer fee rebates to high-volume traders and native token holders. Some crypto platforms collect maker and taker fees, while others include service fees in spreads.
2. User Interface
Platforms with an intuitive UI/UX design enhance your trading experience, whether accessed from a desktop, laptop, or mobile device. Popular exchanges provide responsive interfaces, enabling you to trade even on the move.
3. Supported Cryptocurrencies
The higher the number of cryptocurrencies supported by an exchange, the better. Top crypto exchanges usually support a wide range of coins, including major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, alongside new altcoins.
4. Security Standards
Crypto exchanges are highly prone to cyberattacks, so choose a platform offering robust security. These include multi-factor authentication, insurance funds, withdrawal whitelisting, bug bounty programs, and anti-phishing codes. Look for exchanges that hold a vast majority of user assets in cold storage and maintain 1:1 proof-of-reserves.
5. Regulatory Compliance
Choose a legally compliant exchange that is authorized to offer services in Canada. Unregulated exchanges can close down anytime, and legal recourse may be unavailable in the event of a scam.
6. Customer Support
Select an exchange that offers 24/7 customer support through multiple channels. Most centralized exchanges provide round-the-clock support via email and live chat, along with helpdesks, self-help guides, and FAQs for easier navigation.
Understanding Cryptocurrency Regulations in Canada
Canada treats blockchain technology-based digital assets as securities or derivatives. Crypto exchanges must adhere to the securities laws by restricting specific features for retail investors. They’re also required to file undertakings and comply with the country’s strict reporting and custody standards. If they fail to do so, they’ll face enforcement action or must shut down their operations in Canada.
In 2022, the OSC penalized KuCoin and Bybit for operating in Canada without proper registration. Later, it permanently banned KuCoin from offering services in Ontario, while Bybit and Binance exited the country in 2023. In 2024, FINTRAC Canada imposed a penalty of over $6M on Binance, as the exchange hadn’t complied with AML/CFT laws.
Canada Crypto Tax Explained
* Business income: According to CRA’s tax rules, your cryptocurrency transactions will be treated as business revenue under the following circumstances:
If your crypto transaction is classified as business income, you must pay taxes on the entire proceeds at your Federal/Provincial tax rate.
* Capital gains: If you sell cryptocurrencies for CAD, swap crypto for crypto, or trade DeFi tokens, such transactions would be considered capital gains. Gifting, donating, or spending cryptocurrencies is also treated as crypto disposal. You need to pay taxes on 50% of the total capital gains you make at your Federal/Provincial tax rate.
* Capital losses: The 50% rule extends to capital losses as well, meaning you can offset half of your losses from your gains. If your losses are greater than profits, you can carry forward the loss amount you couldn’t offset into the next year. You can offset this amount against future gains.
* Tax exemptions: Tax-free crypto transactions include buying digital assets with fiat, making transfers between crypto wallets, HODLing cryptocurrencies, and creating DAOs. Even the crypto you receive as gifts/airdrops is tax-exempt.
How to Buy Crypto in Canada?
* Choose a suitable centralized or decentralized exchange based on your needs and preferences. Ensure it is licensed to operate in Canada by FINTRAC and other regulatory bodies.
* Create an account on the chosen platform.
* Complete identity verification by submitting the required documents.
* Fund your account by depositing fiat (CAD) or cryptocurrency using a suitable payment method.
* Once your account is funded, you can buy the cryptocurrency you desire.
Why Trust Our Crypto Exchange Reviews?
Our cryptocurrency exchange reviews are based on thorough research, expert insights, and market analysis. We have assessed numerous platforms based on key factors like pricing, advanced crypto trading features, user feedback, safety, and compliance. Based on our findings, we have compiled the list of the best Canadian crypto exchanges. Thus, you can trust our reviews when making investment decisions.
Conclusion
While we’ve made every effort to present accurate information, doing your own research is imperative. Stay updated on the latest developments in the crypto space, including changes in Canadian cryptocurrency regulations. Lastly, consider your goals, risk-return appetite, trading expertise, and budget before making a final choice.
