Canada: Fin Tech

Although Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency, was created in 2008, Canada's approach to regulating cryptocurrencies and trading platforms (also called crypto exchanges) remains relatively new.

In Autorité Des Marchés Financiers (AMF) v. Alexandre Gagnon[1], the Quebec Financial Markets Administrative Tribunal (the Tribunal) adopted a narrow interpretation of "investment contract"...

On August 15, 2025, the Department of Finance released over 250 pages of draft legislation and explanatory notes, providing clarity on numerous tax matters, including crypto-assets.

The collapse of the Terra ecosystem in May 2022 remains one of the defining ruptures in the history of crypto assets, a failure the mechanics of which revealed deep fragilities in algorithmic stablecoins and whose aftershocks rippled through lenders, hedge funds, exchanges and retail portfolios around the world.

Class actions continue to pose a significant litigation risk for financial services businesses in Canada, with a noticeable uptick in claims focused on consumer protection issues.

Canada's financial industry is undergoing a period of rapid change. Driven by the rise of fintechs, digital currencies, artificial intelligence (AI) and open banking initiatives, federal and provincial regulators...

In response to the widespread adoption of AI in financial institutions, Québec's Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) recently published draft guidelines on the use of AI systems...

The introduction of the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoin Act) is expected to encourage widespread adoption of stablecoins in traditional finance and payments activities...

As digital assets and blockchain technology reshape the world of finance, Canadian banks, non-bank lenders, and their legal advisers are confronting significant complexities.