Crypto ownership in Canada has more than doubled since 2023, even as regulators warn that many investors still misunderstand platform protections and industry rules.
Canada’s cryptocurrency ownership rate rose to 25% in 2026 from 10% in 2023, according to new research from the Ontario Securities Commission.
The OSC surveyed 2,360 Canadian adults between December 2025 and January 2026. Its findings showed that 59% of respondents were aware of crypto assets, while one in four reported owning them.
The increase represents a 15-percentage-point gain in ownership over roughly three years. It also suggests that digital assets are reaching a broader section of the Canadian population despite persistent concerns about fraud, volatility and consumer protection.
“Crypto markets continue to evolve, and Canadians are participating in them more than ever before,” said Naizam Kanji, executive vice president of strategic regulation at the OSC.
“By identifying emerging trends and behaviors with our research, we can look around corners, anticipate potential opportunities and risks, and ensure our regulatory approach supports investor protection while fostering fair and efficient markets.”
The research arrives as major crypto companies seek a larger role in Canada’s financial market. As previously reported by crypto.news, Coinbase is preparing to expand its “Everything Exchange” strategy into the country.
The plan would move Coinbase beyond cryptocurrency trading by combining tokenized stocks, traditional financial products and blockchain-based services in one application for Canadian users.
Growing ownership has been accompanied by greater awareness of risk, but the OSC found that knowledge of existing protections remained limited.
About 50% of crypto owners reported checking whether a platform was registered before opening an account or completing a transaction. That leaves a large portion of investors using services without first confirming their regulatory status.
Respondents also showed misunderstandings about how crypto platforms are regulated, whether digital assets carry insurance protections, and which transactions can be reversed or recovered.
Those gaps matter because crypto holdings typically do not receive the same protections as deposits kept at regulated banks. Blockchain transactions may also be difficult or impossible to reverse after funds are sent to a fraudulent address.
For US investors, the Canadian findings reflect a familiar regulatory concern. American agencies and state authorities have also focused on platform registration, fraud disclosures and the differences between crypto accounts and insured bank deposits.
However, the two countries continue to develop their digital asset rules separately. A product offered to Canadian customers may not be available under the same terms in the United States.
Higher adoption comes as Ottawa considers tougher restrictions on some uses of digital assets.
Canada’s federal government outlined plans in its Spring Economic Update 2026 to prohibit crypto ATMs nationwide. Officials described the machines as a frequent tool for scammers seeking to collect money from victims or process illicit cash.
Investigations cited by the government identified crypto ATMs as a channel through which fraud victims are instructed to transfer funds. Unlike conventional bank transfers, payments sent through these machines can be difficult to recover once completed.
A separate bill introduced in March would restrict cryptocurrency donations to political groups. The proposal is part of a wider effort to tighten election-financing rules and limit foreign interference risks before the next federal election.
If approved, the measures would create a sharper divide in Canada’s approach to crypto. Authorities would continue allowing regulated ownership and financial products while restricting channels viewed as vulnerable to fraud, hidden funding or illicit activity.
Canada’s rising ownership rate places more pressure on regulators to balance market access with investor protection.
Coinbase’s proposed expansion could give local customers access to a broader selection of crypto and traditional financial products. At the same time, the planned ATM ban and political donation restrictions show that federal officials remain cautious about use cases that can obscure the source or destination of funds.
The OSC survey indicates that adoption is moving faster than investor understanding. Registration checks, insurance assumptions and transaction recovery remain central risks as more Canadians enter the market.
Future policy will therefore need to address both sides of the trend: growing demand for digital assets and the consumer-protection gaps that become more consequential as ownership rises.
