Find the best cryptocurrency exchanges in Canada. These websites / apps will exchange Canadian dollars for Bitcoin, Ethereum or other altcoins. Compare fees, funding options and available cryptocurrency coins.
*Prices and fees are subject to change. Affiliate Disclaimer – We earn from qualifying purchases.
Not sure how to buy and hold Bitcoin? Read: How To Buy Bitcoin 101.
Compare
Exchange | Fees / Spread | Funding Options | Available Coins | Notes |
 | ~0.50% spread | Interac e-Transfer, wire transfers, pre-authorized debit, crypto | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Ripple, Monero, Tether, Bitcoin Cash, Stellar Lumens, USD Coin, and QCAD | Get $25 Signup Bonus |
 | ~1% – 2% spread | Interac e-Transfer, wire transfers, crypto | Bitcoin, Ethereum | Get $10 Signup Bonus Learn how to earn free BTC with Shakepay |
 | Spread fees shown at time of purchase | Wire transfer, In-person (Canada Post), Etana Custody, crypto | Bitcoin, Ethereum, 50+ more coins | Earn Rewards by staking coins and fiat |
 | ~0.2% | Interac e-Transfer, wire transfers, bank draft | Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, XRP, EOS, Stellar, DOGE, Cardano, Tether, Chainlink, DOT | Get $10 Signup Bonus |
 | BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH, ZEC, LINK, OXT, DAI, BAT, AMP, COMP, PAXG, GUSD, ZRX, BAL, CRV, MANA, KNC, MKR, REN, STORJ, SNX, UMA, UNI, YFI, AAVE, FIL | |||
 | Debit Card Buys | Bitcoin, Ethereum, 40+ more coins | Not the greatest for Canadians. | |
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Recommended for Beginners Best Exchange for Beginners
Shakepay is what I recommend for friends buying their first Bitcoin in Canada.
It’s very easy to use for buying Bitcoin and Ethereum. Shakepay covers the withdrawal fee (Bitcoin Network) when sending to your own wallet. Creating and verifying an account is fast and easy.
Get $10 when you sign up using a referral link and make a deposit of $100. Unlock “shaking sats“ and earn bitcoin daily. Accepts INTERAC e-Transfer for fast deposits.
This combination of factors is why I think Shakepay is a great first step for buying Bitcoin in Canada for beginners. Read More: Shakepay vs Newton [Review]
Lowest Fee Exchange
NDAX followed by Newton have the lowest spread fees when exchanging Canadian dollars $ for crypto.
However these exchanges will charge full or partial network fees (fluctuating) when withdrawing Bitcoin from the exchange to your wallet.
Shakepay has a larger spread on dollar to crypto exchanges, but covers the network fee on withdraws from the exchange.
So, it depends on the amount you are buying and the time (network fees) you are transferring your coins to your wallet. You need to do the math in which exchange has the best rates for you at time of purchase.
Sign up for multiple exchanges and shop around for the best rates as they are always changing. Find the best exchange rates in Canada at Cryptolens. Shows Real-time rates after all fees.
Buy Bitcoin with Credit Card?
Most credit card companies and/or banks block and do not allow buying Bitcoin and cryptocurrency with credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) in Canada. This includes prepaid gift cards.
For this reason most people use INTERAC e-Transfer to fund accounts for small amounts for immediate transfer. Or wire transfer for larger deposits and withdraws.
Some reddit users have reported that sometimes Binance will be able to accept some credit cards.
Cryptocurrency exchanges will charge a 1-3% transaction fee for buying using a credit card on their platform.
Buy Bitcoin with Paypal?
Buying Bitcoin on the Paypal app is not available to Canadian customers.
Coinbase is the only crypto exchange that connects with paypal. It only allows users to deposit money from Coinbase to Paypal. They do not accept it as a form of payment to buy Bitcoin as a Canadian at this time.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Wealthsimple Crypto does NOT sell / let you hold actual Bitcoin. Coins are held by Gemini Custody. This means you are only able to sell your Bitcoin and Ethereum for Canadian dollars on the Wealthsimple platform. You won’t be able to send and receive Bitcoin in your own wallet or trade your crypto assets for other altcoins.
Cash and Bitcoin ATMs
I haven’t used any of these options. Proceed carefully. It’s your responsibility to stay safe and educate yourself about the potential dangers of peer-to-peer trading.
The fees and spreads are significantly higher when buying anonymously with cash then compared to the exchanges on the above comparison table.
P2P Exchanges – Bisq, Paxful, Binance P2P.
Coinatmradar.com – Find a Bitcoin ATM near you.
LocalCryptos.com – Non-custodial crypto marketplace.
LocalBitcoins.com – Trade bitcoins person-to-person.
Minors and Under 18
You need to be 18+ to create an account on a cryptocurrency exchange in Canada to buy Bitcoin.