In the evolving landscape of cryptocurrency exchanges, Bitbuy and Gate.io have both established substantial user bases and offer an extensive range of services. Bitbuy is a Canadian platform that provides a user-friendly environment for beginners and intermediate traders, and as of June 1, 2026, it is now owned by Robinhood following a C$250 million acquisition of parent company WonderFi. Gate (rebranded to Gate.com in May 2025), while offering thousands of altcoins and low fees, is listed as a disallowed country for Canada and has not served Canadian users since April 2022.
Bitbuy Vs Gate.io: Which Is Better For Canadians?
Neither is an option for Canadians today. Bitbuy accounts were moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. in May 2024, and since Robinhood closed its WonderFi purchase on June 1, 2026 the Bitbuy site tells users it is now part of Robinhood and customers are being invited to move to the Robinhood app. Gate.io is an offshore exchange that is not registered in Canada and lists Canada as a restricted location in its user agreement. I recommend Coinbase instead (9.8/10, #1 on my list): open a Coinbase account.
Every row below comes from each company’s own pages and the Canadian registries, checked October 2026. Where a row has no fair winner, it says so.
Bitbuy Vs Gate.io: Master Spec Table
Bitbuy
Gate.io
Winner
Company
Bitbuy Technologies Inc., founded in Toronto in 2016. Accounts moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. in May 2024; parent WonderFi was bought by Robinhood on 2026-06-01. Founders: Not published.
Launched 2013, rebranded from Gate.io to Gate.com in May 2025. Legal entity for Canada: none. Founder, HQ and funding not verified on a primary page.
Depends
Regulation
FINTRAC MSB M20728803 Ceased 2025-02-20. Bitbuy Technologies Inc. sits under CSA Expired Decisions. Live CSA entry is Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd., Decision 2024-10-11. Not on the CSA banned list.
Not on CSA authorized or banned list (2026-10-02). FINTRAC M20329002 (Gate Technology Corp.) expired 2023-05-31. No CIRO. No CIPF for crypto.
Tie
Assets
60+ coins offered (BTC, ETH, SOL, ADA, DOGE, DOT, USDC). Order book on Pro. Current list: see the Robinhood app.
2,053 base assets across 2,202 spot pairs (public API, 2026-10-02), none open to Canadians.
Depends
Price
Express: spread, Pro: maker/taker, exact rates Not published. Robinhood signaled a flat 0.5% on CAD trades after migration.
Spot base fee 0.2% per pair in the public API (2026-10-02). Irrelevant to Canadians.
Depends
CAD In
Free Interac e-Transfer, wire and bank draft were offered.
No CAD funding. Canada is a restricted location, so Canadians cannot fund an account.
Depends
CAD Out
Not published in the sources reviewed.
No CAD withdrawal to a Canadian bank is published.
Depends
Crypto In And Out
Crypto deposits and withdrawals to private wallets were allowed. Networks and minimums: Not published.
Not applicable to Canadians. No new account can be opened from Canada.
Depends
Custody
Held with BitGo, majority in insured cold storage; quarterly proof-of-reserves under CIRO rules. Crypto was never CIPF-covered.
Custodial exchange. Whatever Canadian-held balances remain are not covered by CIPF or any Canadian regulator.
Depends
Verification (KYC)
No longer available to Canadians
Not applicable to Canadians. Account creation is barred for Canada under the terms.
Depends
Account Types
Express and Pro platforms; OTC desk and Private Wealth.
Not published
Depends
Provinces
No longer available to Canadians
0 of 13. The restriction names all of Canada, not a single province.
Depends
Extra Products
Staking on nine coins including ETH, SOL, ADA and DOT, at a combined 39% fee on rewards.
Not applicable to Canadians.
Depends
Tax Tools
No longer available to Canadians
Not verified
Depends
App
App Store rating 4.6 (Oleg's old row). Being replaced by the Robinhood app.
Not applicable. Gate says it has no Canadian service;
What Are The Key Differences Between Bitbuy And Gate.io?
Bitbuy Vs Gate.io: Side By Side
Bitbuy
Gate.io
Description
Bitbuy was founded in Toronto in 2016 and was one of the first registered crypto marketplaces in Canada. It offered 60+ cryptocurrencies through an Express platform for beginners and a Pro platform for experienced traders. Its accounts moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. in May 2024, and since June 2026 it has been part of Robinhood, which acquired parent company WonderFi for C$250 million. Customers are being invited to move to the Robinhood app.
Launched in 2013, Gate (formerly Gate.io, rebranded and moved to Gate.com in May 2025) is one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in the world. However, Canada is on the list of restricted locations in the Gate user agreement, alongside 30+ other jurisdictions. Gate has not served Canadians since earlier reports of Canadian accounts moving to withdrawal-only around April 2022, so we would not recommend trying to use it.
Coins
60+ including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Cardano, Dogecoin, Polkadot and USDC.
Past tense: 2,053 base assets across 2,202 tradable spot pairs (public API, 2026-10-02), none of them open to Canadians. USDT was never part of a Canadian offer.
Fees
Free Interac e-Transfer deposits. Express Trade prices included a spread, the pricier way to buy. Pro Trade used lower maker/taker fees with TradingView charting. Staking carried a combined fee of roughly 39% of rewards (30% Bitbuy plus 9% custodian). Robinhood has signaled a flat 0.5% CAD trading fee after migration; the schedule is likely to change during the transition.
Past tense: spot base fee 0.2% per pair per the public API (2026-10-02), lower with volume. Free crypto deposits. CAD was never supported.
Pros
One of Canada's longest-standing registered platforms, later under CIRO oversight with segregated client assets and quarterly proof-of-reserves
Express and Pro platforms served beginners and advanced traders alike
Free Interac e-Transfer deposits
Staking on nine coins including ETH, SOL, ADA and DOT
Insured cold storage custody with BitGo and a clean security track record
OTC desk and Private Wealth services
Thousands of altcoins were available
Advanced trading features and tools
Not available to Canadians, so none of this is usable
Cons
No longer a separate platform: accounts moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd., then to Robinhood
Staking's roughly 39% combined cut of rewards was the highest in Canada
Support was email-ticket only, with no live chat or phone
Fees ran higher than global competitors unless you stuck to Pro Trade
No margin, derivatives or stop-loss orders
Migration to the Robinhood app brings new terms, fees and interface
Not allowed in Canada, and no Canadian entity
Mandatory KYC means Canadians cannot sign up, and VPN workarounds risk frozen funds
CAD was never supported
Not beginner-friendly
Security
Majority of digital assets in insured cold storage with BitGo, mandatory 2FA, quarterly proof-of-reserves under CIRO requirements, withdrawals to private wallets allowed. No hacks in nearly a decade of operation.
that claim was not confirmed here. Gate's FINTRAC MSB registration M20329002 (Gate Technology Corp.) expired 2023-05-31.
Methods To Buy
Interac e-Transfer, wire transfer, bank draft and crypto deposits were accepted. Today new Canadians are pointed to the Robinhood app instead.
Canadians cannot buy crypto on Gate. Account creation requires KYC, and restrictions are enforced based on the country on your ID, so even a VPN won't get you a working account, just one that can be frozen with your funds inside.
App
Bitbuy's app held a 4.6-star rating on the App Store. It is being replaced by the Robinhood app.
Not applicable to Canadians.
Account Limits
Standard verified accounts handled typical retail volumes, with OTC and Private Wealth desks for large trades. Legacy limit figures changed repeatedly through the platform mergers.
No longer applicable. n/a for Canadians, since accounts cannot be opened from Canada.
How Do You Fund And Cash Out Bitbuy And Gate.io In Canada?
Bitbuy: CAD Deposits (When It Operated)
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Interac e-Transfer
Free
Not published
Not published
Not published
Funding for the live platform is now on Robinhood. Bitbuy-specific limits are Not published. No CAD funding exists. Canada is a Restricted Location in user agreement clause 2.5. Whether any legacy Canadian account can still withdraw crypto is not stated on an official Gate page, so contact Gate support.
What Do Bitbuy And Gate.io Offer Beyond Buying And Selling?
Bitbuy Only
Staking:Staking on nine coins including ETH, SOL, ADA and DOT, with a combined 39% cut of rewards (30% Bitbuy plus 9% custodian).
OTC desk and Private Wealth: Offered for large trades.
What Happens To Your Money If Bitbuy Or Gate.io Fails?
Bitbuy: Existing Bitbuy users should watch for Robinhood migration emails and read the new terms and fees before accepting. Accounts are held by Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd., a CIRO-regulated dealer, and the registry says the CSA entry for Bitbuy Technologies Inc. is expired. If you do not want to move, withdraw your crypto to a wallet you control. CIPF covers cash but never crypto.
Gate.io: Gate does not serve Canada, is not on the CSA list, holds no current FINTRAC registration and is not a CIRO member. CIPF never covers crypto. A Canadian with a balance left on Gate has no regulator to appeal to, and the user agreement tells users in restricted locations to stop using the services and lets Gate restrict or close accounts at its discretion. Opening an account through a VPN risks a freeze.
How Are Bitbuy And Gate.io Treated For Tax In Canada?
Bitbuy: Selling or swapping crypto on Bitbuy was a disposition for CRA purposes. Export your full transaction history before your account is migrated or closed. Export formats: Not published.
Gate.io: Any earlier trades or sales on Gate are dispositions for CRA purposes. Keep or export your full trade and transfer history while you still have access, because a restricted account may be closed.
Selling, swapping or spending crypto is a disposition for the CRA on any platform. This is not tax advice: see my guide to crypto taxes in Canada.
Which Should You Choose, Bitbuy Or Gate.io?
Choose Bitbuy If
You want a registered platform that serves Canadians today: Coinbase is our number one replacement, with free Interac e-Transfer funding and a Canadian restricted dealer registration.
You hold a Bitbuy account and want to compare it with what Robinhood is offering before you accept the migration.
Choose Gate.io If
You want an altcoin-heavy exchange: Gate does not serve Canadians, so pick a registered Canadian platform with a deep coin list, such as Kraken.
What Happened To Bitbuy?
Bitbuy is no longer a separate platform. Its accounts moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. in May 2024, and since Robinhood closed its WonderFi purchase on June 1, 2026, the Bitbuy site tells users it is now part of Robinhood and invites customers to move to the Robinhood app.
Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. is the entity that operates the platform, and it appears on the CSA list with a decision dated October 11, 2024. Bitbuy Technologies Inc. sits under expired decisions on the CSA site, and its FINTRAC MSB registration shows as ceased on February 20, 2025. Bitbuy's help centre says the 2024 move was required because its CSA relief was time-limited and called for a move under CIRO oversight.
If you still hold coins there, watch for the migration invitation, open it only from the official Bitbuy or Robinhood channels, and read the new terms before you accept. I do not send new readers to Bitbuy, because the business is being folded into Robinhood. On the Robinhood side, a flat 0.5% on CAD trades was advertised for the first few months after launch, and the zero-fee promotion for Canada ended on September 30, 2026. Its fee schedule sets the fee at 0.5% through October 31, 2026 and 0.95% from November 1, 2026.
Bitbuy: What The Records Show
Item
Record
Status
Bitbuy accounts were moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. in May 2024, and since Robinhood closed its WonderFi purchase on June 1, 2026 the Bitbuy site tells users it is now part of Robinhood and customers are being invited to move to the Robinhood app.
Key dates
2024-05-28 (accounts moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd.); 2026-06-01 (Robinhood closes WonderFi, parent)
CSA record
Bitbuy Technologies Inc. is under 'Crypto Platforms Expired Decisions' on the CSA site (Decision, Expired; no date shown). The live CSA list entry is Coinsquare Capital Markets Limited, Decision (October 11, 2024)
FINTRAC record
BITBUY TECHNOLOGIES INC. M20728803 status Ceased, cessation 2025-02-20 (initial approval 2020-02-07)
What Is Gate.io's Status For Canadians?
Gate.io is an offshore exchange. It is not registered in Canada, and its user agreement lists Canada among its Restricted Locations, so Canadians cannot use it under its own terms.
It is on neither the CSA authorized list nor the banned list, and its FINTRAC registration shows as expired on May 31, 2023. The public API lists a 0.2% spot base fee and 2,053 base assets across 2,202 tradable spot pairs (October 2, 2026), but no CAD funding was found, and a long coin list means nothing if your account can be frozen.
Gate.io: What The Records Show
Item
Record
Status
Gate.io is an offshore exchange that is not registered in Canada and lists Canada as a restricted location in its user agreement.
Key dates
2026-10-02 (terms read)
CSA record
None. Not on CSA authorized or banned list (checked 2026-10-02)
FINTRAC record
GATE TECHNOLOGY CORP. M20329002 Expired 2023-05-31; no current registration found
What Should Bitbuy And Gate.io Users Use Instead?
Neither side of this pair is a place to open a new account. Bitbuy is being folded into Robinhood, and Gate.io is not an option for Canadians. The registry points Bitbuy users to Coinbase and Gate.io users to Kraken, and both are CSA-registered.
Where Bitbuy And Gate.io Users Can Go Instead
Platform
Canadian Status
Published Fee
CAD Funding
Coins
My Ranking
Coinbase
CSA Restricted Dealer in all provinces and territories; FINTRAC MSB; not a CIRO member
Coinbase fee of up to 1.875% on simple buys (varies by payment method) plus spread; separate 1% fee on simple limit orders
Interac e-Transfer and EFT, free
200+
#1 of 10, 9.8/10
Kraken
CSA Restricted Dealer (Payward Canada Inc.); FINTRAC MSB; not a CIRO member
Kraken Pro 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker at the base tier; Instant Buy 1% plus spread
About 490 (derived from the public pair list minus assets Kraken bars in Canada)
#3 of 10, 9.2/10
Coinbase. Coinbase is the closest like-for-like for a Bitbuy user: a beginner app, free Interac e-Transfer and EFT funding, and a Restricted Dealer registration in every province and territory. It sits first in my ranking at 9.8 out of 10. Simple buys carry a Coinbase fee of up to 1.875% on top of the spread, and fiat balances are not covered by CIPF. Derivatives launched for eligible Canadian investors only, so there is no retail leverage.
Kraken. Kraken is third in my ranking at 9.2. It is a CSA Restricted Dealer, deposits by Interac e-Transfer are free, and Kraken Pro starts at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker. Instant Buy costs 1% plus a spread, an Interac e-Transfer withdrawal costs CAD 10, and Canadians cannot trade margin or derivatives. Most clients face a CAD 30,000 rolling 12-month net purchase limit on assets other than BTC, ETH, LTC and BCH.
What Changed For Bitbuy And Gate.io In October 2026?
: Bitbuy accounts moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd..
: CSA Restricted Dealer decision for Payward Canada Inc. (Kraken), with free Interac e-Transfer deposits announced.
: Robinhood closed its WonderFi purchase, and the Bitbuy site now says it is part of Robinhood.
: Robinhood crypto trading launched in Canada with 50+ coins.
: Robinhood's zero-fee promotion for Canada ended.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bitbuy Still Open In 2026?
Bitbuy accounts were moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. in May 2024, and since Robinhood closed its WonderFi purchase on June 1, 2026 the Bitbuy site tells users it is now part of Robinhood and customers are being invited to move to the Robinhood app.
Should I Open A New Bitbuy Account?
I would not. Bitbuy accounts sit with Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd., and the Bitbuy site now tells users it is part of Robinhood and invites customers to move to the Robinhood app. A registered platform that is still taking new customers is the safer starting point.
Can Canadians Use Gate.io?
Gate.io is an offshore exchange that is not registered in Canada and lists Canada as a restricted location in its user agreement.
What Should I Use Instead Of Gate.io?
Kraken is the registry pick: Registered in Canada with a deep altcoin list, the practical replacement for a Gate-style altcoin menu.
Oleg is a Canadian citizen & crypto expert who has been trading since 2016. He started out with Coinbase, Kraken and Peer-to-Peer exchanges. After some time, centralized exchanges started charging crazy fees to their users.
He decided to review different crypto exchanges that operate in Canada and start a Youtube channel in order to educate Canadians on what kinds of things are going inside each one while giving them unbiased advice. On top of that, Oleg also has experience with NFT, airdrops, and crypto staking and he is constantly checking on new crypto assets.
His writing has been featured in popular Canadian media sources such as Toronto Sun and Ottawa Citizen.
