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Quarter of Canadians Own Cryptocurrency, OSC Survey Finds

It raises pressure on regulators to tighten ATM and political-donation rules to protect investors.

Overview

  • The Ontario Securities Commission survey of 2,360 adults, published Thursday, found crypto ownership rose to 25% in 2026 from 10% in 2023.
  • Awareness climbed to 59% and the share of advised investors told to buy crypto nearly doubled to 39%, signaling stronger advisor support for crypto exposure.
  • The OSC reported widespread confusion about how crypto is regulated, whether assets are insured, and that blockchain transfers are often irreversible.
  • About half of crypto owners said they check whether a trading platform is registered before transacting, leaving many users exposed to unverified services.
  • Federal proposals to ban crypto ATMs and to restrict cryptocurrency political donations respond to rising use and fraud risks even as firms report plans to expand product offerings in Canada.