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Screenshot of CIRO + Robinhood mobile app <\/p>\n Screenshot of CIRO + Robinhood mobile app <\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s crypto market has spent the last few years getting smaller and more serious at the same time. After a wave of regulatory tightening between 2023 and 2025 \u2014 driven by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) \u2014 several major international exchanges, including Binance, Bybit and OKX, exited the country rather than meet new compliance requirements. What remained was a smaller, tighter field of registered platforms operating under stricter rules, including mandatory asset segregation, qualified cold storage custody and regular proof-of-reserves audits.<\/p>\n
Fast-forward to mid-2026, and Robinhood \u2014 the popular U.S. fintech firm best known for commission-free trading \u2014 has finalized a sizeable investment into the Canadian crypto-investing marketplace.<\/p>\n
Don’t Miss <\/p>\n
On June 1, 2026, Robinhood closed its C$250 million all-cash acquisition of WonderFi \u2014 owner of Bitbuy and Coinsquare, two of Canada\u2019s oldest regulated crypto exchanges. The acquisition marks the firm\u2019s formal entry into the Canadian market. As a result, WonderFi shares were delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on June 2.<\/p>\n
For any Canadian who trades crypto or has been watching the space, the deal shifts the competitive landscape in ways worth understanding.<\/p>\n
Take the first step towards trading crypto. Find a platform<\/a>, create your account and see why thousands of Canadians invest in cryptocurrency trading<\/a>.<\/p>\n Why did Robinhood buy WonderFi? <\/p>\n WonderFi, a Canadian digital asset company, operated Bitbuy and Coinsquare under a single corporate structure, together holding more than C$2.1 billion in assets under custody and approximately 300,000 funded customers. That scale made it the most significant regulated crypto footprint in Canada \u2014 and the reason Robinhood pursued it.<\/p>\n For Robinhood, acquiring a CIRO-registered platform was a faster path to entering the Canadian market compared to building regulatory standing from scratch which is a multi-year process. But that faster entry came at a cost; Robinhood paid a 41% premium to WonderFi\u2019s TSX closing price of C$0.36 per share.<\/p>\n CIRO approved the transfer of control of Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. (CCML), WonderFi\u2019s restricted-dealer subsidiary, on May 20, 2026 \u2014 the final regulatory condition before closing. No further regulatory approvals were required. WonderFi\u2019s 115-person team, including CEO Dean Skurka, joined Robinhood\u2019s Canadian operations under Johann Kerbrat, senior vice president and general manager of Robinhood Crypto and International.<\/p>\n Read more: 3 essential money moves to make once you\u2019ve saved $50,000<\/a><\/p>\n What it means for the Canadian crypto market <\/p>\n Robinhood\u2019s entry introduces a well-capitalized U.S. platform into a market that has, by design, been shielded from less-regulated international competition. The practical effects for Canadian investors are still unfolding, but a few are already clear.<\/p>\n On fees: Robinhood has announced a flat 0.5% fee per trade for Canadian customers (using Canadian currency), which is competitive given Bitbuy\u2019s structure of a 1.5% trading fee plus a 1% spread on Express Trades, and roughly in line with Coinsquare\u2019s Pro platform, which charges 0.5% maker\/taker fees. For the broader market, pricing pressure from a well-resourced entrant could influence what competing platforms charge over time.<\/p>\n On product breadth: Robinhood\u2019s stated longer-term ambition is to layer equities, options, futures and prediction markets onto its Canadian crypto base \u2014 the same playbook it used after acquiring the European exchange Bitstamp in 2024. No confirmed timelines exist for those rollouts in Canada. For now, the offering is crypto only.<\/p>\n On regulation: The CIRO framework that governs Canadian crypto platforms does not change as a result of this acquisition. Robinhood stepped into an existing regulatory structure, not around it.<\/p>\n What Canadian crypto investors should do <\/p>\n Whether you hold an account on Bitbuy or Coinsquare, or trade on another registered platform, Robinhood\u2019s arrival raises a few questions worth thinking through.<\/p>\n Account holders on Bitbuy or Coinsquare will be migrated to the Robinhood app. The timeline for that migration has not been disclosed. Watch for email communications from Robinhood or WonderFi \u2014 your account terms, fee structure and platform interface will change. Review any new terms carefully before accepting them.<\/p>\n On CIRO oversight: The regulatory protections that applied before this acquisition remain in place. CIRO-registered platforms must segregate client assets, maintain cold storage for at least 80% to 90% of holdings and publish quarterly proof-of-reserves reports. Those obligations travel with the registration, not with the previous owner.<\/p>\n On investor protection: The Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF) covers securities and cash held at CIRO member firms in the event of insolvency, but according to CIPF\u2019s own published coverage policy, crypto assets are explicitly excluded from that protection. This applies regardless of which platform you use or who owns it. If you want to understand what protection applies to your specific account type, check your platform\u2019s terms directly.<\/p>\n On the broader competitive picture: Robinhood\u2019s 0.5% flat fee is one data point. Before assuming a platform switch makes financial sense, compare the full cost structure \u2014 including funding fees, withdrawal costs and any spread markups \u2014 not just the headline trading rate.<\/p>\n What to do now <\/p>\n If you hold crypto on Bitbuy or Coinsquare, monitor your email for migration communications and review new account terms before accepting them.<\/p>\n For all crypto investors:<\/p>\n Compare your current platform\u2019s full fee structure \u2014 including spreads and funding costs \u2014 against Robinhood\u2019s announced 0.5% flat rate<\/p>\n Confirm any platform you use holds active CIRO registration \u2014 the CIRO public registry is the authoritative source<\/p>\n Review CIPF\u2019s coverage policy to understand what is and is not protected in a crypto account \u2014 crypto assets are currently excluded<\/p>\n If you are considering switching platforms based on this news, evaluate the complete fee picture, not just the trading rate<\/p>\n Get started <\/p>\n With platforms like Kraken<\/a>, buying and trading cryptocurrencies is straightforward, whether you\u2019re on a desktop or using the mobile app.<\/p>\n You can buy and trade 600+ cryptocurrencies<\/a>\u2722 on desktop or through their mobile app, or set up recurring buys to invest automatically.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the option to add price conditions, so your trades only execute when the market hits your target.<\/p>\n Kraken provides guides on popular coins, helping you understand what you\u2019re buying and how to navigate the process from start to finish.<\/p>\n And if you have questions, 24\/7 support is available via live chat, phone, or email.<\/p>\n For those who want greater control, Kraken PRO<\/a> offers a more advanced trading experience.<\/p>\n Designed for active traders, it features a highly customizable interface<\/a> with real-time market data, advanced tools and detailed order types like stop-loss and take-profit to help manage trades more precisely.<\/p>\n You can also trade across spot, margin and derivatives markets, monitor performance in one unified portfolio, and tailor your dashboard with multiple data widgets to suit your strategy.<\/p>\n Opening an account<\/a> is quick, with a simple sign-up, verification and short investor profile to get started.<\/p>\n \u2722 Short disclaimer for hybrids\/email: Not investment advice. Crypto trading involves risk of loss. See kraken.com\/legal\/ca-pru-disclaimer (1) for info on Kraken\u2019s undertaking to register in Canada.<\/p>\n What To Read Next <\/p>\n Join 19,000+ readers and get Money.ca\u2019s best stories and exclusive interviews first \u2014 clear insights curated and delivered weekly. Subscribe now.<\/a><\/p>\n Article Sources <\/p>\n We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n Kraken (1<\/a>)<\/p>\n This article originally appeared on Money.ca<\/a> under the title: Robinhood is now in Canada \u2014 what it means for Canadian crypto investors<\/a><\/p>\n This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Screenshot of CIRO + Robinhood mobile app Canada\u2019s crypto market has spent the last few years getting smaller…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":96856,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[17,351,35747,35748,7202,7104,35749,29107,29486,29106],"class_list":["post-96855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-canada","tag-canada","tag-canadian","tag-canadian-crypto","tag-canadian-investment-regulatory-organization","tag-canadian-securities-administrators","tag-ciro","tag-crypto-assets","tag-robinhood","tag-robinhood-app","tag-wonderfi"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=96855"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/96855\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/96856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=96855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=96855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=96855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}