In the rapidly evolving landscape of cryptocurrency exchanges, Canadians are confronted with a variety of choices. Here, we compare two prominent exchanges, Bitget and Wealthsimple Crypto. From a Canadian perspective, the comparison is one-sided: Bitget restricted Canadian users in early 2026 following new CSA guidance. Wealthsimple is Canada’s only CIRO-registered crypto investment dealer, fully available in every province with 140+ coins.
Bitget Vs Wealthsimple Crypto: Which Is Better For Canadians?
Wealthsimple Crypto wins by default for Canadians. Bitget is an offshore exchange that is not registered in Canada and names Canada as a prohibited country in its Terms of Use. Since Bitget no longer operates for Canadians, I recommend Coinbase (9.8/10, #1 on my list): open a Coinbase account.
How Do Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto Compare, Fact By Fact?
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.
Bitget Vs Wealthsimple Crypto: Master Spec Table
Bitget
Wealthsimple Crypto
Winner
Company
Terms are with BTG Technology Holdings Limited. Founder, year founded, HQ and funding not verified on a primary page.
Wealthsimple Investments Inc., part of Wealthsimple Inc., Toronto. Founded 2014 by Michael Katchen, Brett Huneycutt, Rudy Adler. Private, Power Corporation owns 52.4%. Staff not verified.
Depends
Regulation
Not on CSA authorized or banned list (2026-10-02). FINTRAC M20179708 (Canada Bitget Limited) expired 2023-03-31. No CIRO. No CIPF for crypto.
3,323 online spot base assets across 3,387 symbols (public API, 2026-10-02), none open to Canadians.
BTC, ETH, SOL and 170+ other coins to trade; 120 assets for deposit and withdrawal. No order book. USDT not offered.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Price
Spot 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker base rate per symbol in the public API (2026-10-02). Irrelevant to Canadians.
Flat 0.5% fee on every order plus a spread on market orders; the schedule's example is 1.50% on a CAD 5,000 buy. CAD 1 surcharge under CAD 100. Active Trader: 0.5% down to 0%, spread 0%.
Wealthsimple Crypto
CAD In
No CAD funding. Canada is a restricted location, so Canadians cannot fund an account.
Interac e-Transfer is free (up to CAD 10,000 per transfer or the bank's cap); instant deposit up to CAD 50,000 Core and CAD 250,000 Premium/Generation. Debit card and wire not verified.
Wealthsimple Crypto
CAD Out
No CAD withdrawal to a Canadian bank is published.
The crypto fee schedule lists no CAD withdrawal fee. Methods and limits for CAD cash-out were not retrievable.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Crypto In And Out
Not applicable to Canadians. No new account can be opened from Canada.
On-chain only, no Lightning. Deposits on one network; withdrawals multi-network for USDC (Ethereum, Base, Solana) and ETH (Ethereum, Base). Network fee estimated before sending.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Custody
Custodial exchange. Whatever Canadian-held balances remain are not covered by CIPF or any Canadian regulator.
Custodial, held in trust. Majority in cold storage with regulated custodial partners (each over CAD 75M insured), the rest in hot wallets with Coincover cover. No proof of reserves published.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Verification (KYC)
Not applicable to Canadians. Account creation is barred for Canada under the terms.
Identity verification with ID and a selfie required to open and again before external crypto withdrawals. Time to clear and SIN requirement not verified on a public page.
Depends
Account Types
Not published
Crypto sits in a non-registered personal account only (no TFSA or RRSP). USD account optional (CAD 10 a month for Core, free for Premium and Generation). Business crypto not verified.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Provinces
0 of 13. The restriction names all of Canada, not a single province.
Canadian residents only. No per-province availability list was found, and French support was not verified on a primary page.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Extra Products
Not applicable to Canadians.
Staking (ETH, SOL, ADA, DOT, up to 5% a year, fee 30% or 15%), swaps, recurring buys, limit and price-target orders, DEX trading with CAD 0 network fees, Web3 wallet terms.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Tax Tools
Not verified
Crypto Realized Gain Loss Report (PDF or CSV, adjusted cost base and proceeds), a Crypto Transaction Summary CSV and a CRM2 charges report. Not an official tax slip.
Wealthsimple Crypto
App
Not applicable. Bitget says it does not operate a financial services business in Canada;
iOS 4.62 (129,832 ratings, Canada store), Google Play 4.1 (about 81K reviews, global). One app for all accounts, web app yes, 2FA yes. French UI not verified.
Wealthsimple Crypto
Support
Not verified
24/7 chat. Active Traders also get priority phone and email. A general phone line and French support were not verified on a primary page.
What Are The Key Differences Between Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget Vs Wealthsimple Crypto: Side By Side
Bitget
Wealthsimple Crypto
Description
Bitget is a global cryptocurrency exchange for skilled users, known for copy trading, futures and a huge altcoin selection. Bitget is no longer available to Canadians: its Terms of Use list Canada among Prohibited Countries and it states that it does not operate a financial services business in Canada.
Wealthsimple is a Canadian trading platform that lets you buy crypto in CAD alongside your stocks, cash and other accounts in one app. Crypto is offered by Wealthsimple Investments Inc., a CIRO dealer member, and sits in a non-registered account only, so it cannot be held in a TFSA or RRSP.
Coins
Past tense: 3,323 online spot base assets across 3,387 symbols (public API, 2026-10-02), none of which are accessible from Canada.
BTC, ETH, SOL and 170+ other coins to trade, e.g. Cardano, Polkadot and Dogecoin, plus stablecoins such as USDC. USDT is not available, as with the other regulated Canadian platforms.
Fees
Past tense: spot 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker base rate per symbol in the public API (2026-10-02). Low fees were Bitget's draw, but they are irrelevant to Canadians now.
A flat 0.5% trading fee on every order plus a spread on market orders (the fee schedule's own example is 0.50% + 1.00% spread = 1.50%) | Active Trader status (50 eligible trades in a month) swaps the spread for 0%, with the fee 0.5% falling to 0% above CAD 15M of 30-day volume | CAD 1 surcharge on any order under CAD 100 | Buying USDC with CAD or CADD with CAD carries no fee or spread | Crypto swaps pay one fee | Staking fee 30% of rewards (15% Generation) | USD trades add a 1.5% FX fee unless you hold a USD account
Pros
Low trading fees
Huge altcoin selection
Advanced features like copy trading, futures and trading bots
None of this is available to Canadians
170+ cryptocurrencies in the same app as your stocks and cash account
CIRO-regulated investment dealer, with crypto held in trust
Staking on ETH, SOL, ADA and DOT with automatic reward deposits
Crypto withdrawals to your own wallet, with USDC on Ethereum, Base or Solana and ETH on Base
Crypto-to-crypto swaps for a single fee
Recurring buys and limit and price-target orders
No account minimum and no fee on CAD deposits via Interac e-Transfer
A downloadable Realized Gains and Losses report for your tax return
Cons
Not available in Canada, named a Prohibited Country
No Interac e-Transfer and no CAD support, even historically
Confusing for beginners
Never registered with Canadian securities regulators; its FINTRAC registration for Canada Bitget Limited (M20179708) expired 2023-03-31
The 0.5% fee is a flat add-on to a spread that is not published in advance, so total cost is higher than it looks
The CAD 1 surcharge dominates small orders under CAD 100
Staking fee takes 30% of rewards for Core and Premium
No USDT, no advanced trading tools, margin or futures
A 5 business day hold on new deposits before you can withdraw crypto
Crypto itself is not covered by CIPF (only cash is)
Security
none of these were confirmed here.
Most coins sit in offline cold storage with regulated custodial partners that each carry over CAD 75M of insurance coverage, the remainder in hot wallets with Coincover recovery cover. Coins are held in trust. 2FA and mandatory identity verification, with a selfie check before external crypto withdrawals.
Methods To Buy
Canadians cannot buy crypto on Bitget. The platform blocks Canadian users, and accessing it through a VPN violates Bitget's terms and can get your account frozen with funds stuck inside.
Interac e-Transfer (instant deposits up to CAD 50,000 for Core, CAD 250,000 for Premium and Generation) | Linked bank account | Crypto deposits from external wallets
App
Not applicable to Canadians.
iOS 4.62 on the Canadian App Store (129,832 ratings), Google Play 4.1 (about 81K reviews, global). One app for all Wealthsimple accounts. Web app available.
Account Limits
n/a for Canadians, since new accounts cannot be opened from Canada. No longer applicable.
Crypto withdrawals up to CAD 10,000 a day and CAD 25,000 a week across all coins, minimum CAD 5 on the majors. No limits on crypto deposits. Instant e-Transfer deposits up to CAD 50,000 for Core and CAD 250,000 for Premium and Generation.
How Do You Fund And Cash Out Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto In Canada?
Wealthsimple Crypto: CAD Deposits
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Interac e-Transfer
Free (your bank may charge)
No account minimum
CAD 10,000 per e-Transfer or your bank's sending limit
instant for Core up to CAD 50,000, Premium and Generation up to CAD 250,000
Debit card
Not verified
Not published
Not published
Not published
Transfer from Wealthsimple chequing
Not verified
Not published
Not published
Not published
Wealthsimple Crypto: CAD Withdrawals
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
CAD withdrawal to a bank account
No fee listed in the crypto fee schedule
Not published
Not published
Not published
Crypto to an external wallet
Network fee only (shown before sending)
CAD 5 on BTC, ETH and SOL
CAD 10,000 daily and CAD 25,000 weekly across all coins
Not published
No CAD funding exists. Canada is a Prohibited Country in the Terms of Use (updated September 15, 2026). Earlier leads suggested an Alberta-only restriction; the official terms bar all of Canada. Crypto trades in CAD or USD; USD trades pay a 1.5% FX fee plus a corporate exchange fee unless you have a USD account. The 5 business day deposit hold before crypto withdrawal is the main timing trap.
What Does It Actually Cost To Buy On Wealthsimple Crypto?
Worked Cost, Buy Only And Buy Plus Sell (Round Trip)
Amount
Wealthsimple Crypto Buy
Wealthsimple Crypto Round Trip
CAD 100
$0.50 to $1.50
$1.00 to $3.00
CAD 500
$2.50 to $7.50
$5.00 to $15.00
CAD 1,000
$5.00 to $15.00
$10.00 to $30.00
CAD 10,000
$50.00 to $150.00
$100.00 to $300.00
Wealthsimple Crypto: Flat 0.5% fee per order. The high end adds the 1.00% spread used in Wealthsimple's own CAD 5,000 example (spread varies with market conditions) from the fee schedule dated 2026-09-24. Active Trader status (50 eligible trades in a calendar month) removes the spread. A CAD 1 surcharge applies to orders under CAD 100 (not counted here). Ranges reflect each platform’s published band, not a single quote. Bank and network fees are not included.
What Do Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto Offer Beyond Buying And Selling?
Wealthsimple Crypto Only
Staking: ETH, SOL, ADA and DOT, advertised as up to 5% a year. Wealthsimple keeps 30% of rewards (15% for Generation) and validators take their own commission (ETH about 5%).
Crypto swaps: Swap one eligible coin for another in one trade with one fee instead of two.
Recurring buys and price-target orders: Schedule automatic purchases or set a price at which an order executes. Recurring orders do not count toward Active Trader status.
DEX trading: On-chain token access with CAD 0 network fees, per Wealthsimple, through the Crypto Web3 Wallet.
Active Trader status: Earned with 50 or more eligible trades in a calendar month, valid for that month and the next. Cuts the crypto fee to 0.5% to 0% with a 0% spread, plus priority phone and email support.
What Happens To Your Money If Bitget Or Wealthsimple Crypto Fails?
Bitget: Bitget 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 Bitget has no regulator to appeal to, and the terms let Bitget restrict or close accounts linked to Prohibited Countries at any time without notice. A VPN account risks a freeze with funds inside.
Wealthsimple Crypto: Wealthsimple Investments Inc. is a CIRO dealer member, so cash in the account is covered by CIPF, but crypto is explicitly not covered by CIPF, CDIC or any investor protection scheme. Wealthsimple says crypto is held in trust and would remain yours in an insolvency, and that custodial partners each carry over CAD 75M of insurance, but that cover is held by the partners and the custodians are not named on the product page. No proof of reserves is published. Hot wallet losses are the part covered by the Coincover recovery arrangement.
How Are Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto Treated For Tax In Canada?
Bitget: Any earlier trades or sales on Bitget are dispositions for CRA purposes. Export your full trade and transfer history while you still have access.
Wealthsimple Crypto: Selling, swapping one coin for another and staking rewards are taxable; withdrawing crypto to your own wallet is not a disposition. Wealthsimple provides a Realized Gains and Losses report as PDF or CSV and a Crypto Transaction Summary CSV, and says there is no official tax slip for crypto.
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, Bitget Or Wealthsimple Crypto?
Choose Bitget If
You want copy trading or a huge altcoin list: Bitget does not serve Canadians, so use a registered Canadian platform and check what it offers.
Choose Wealthsimple Crypto If
You already hold stocks or cash at Wealthsimple and want crypto in the same app.
You value a CIRO-regulated dealer and a simple flat fee over the lowest possible cost.
You trade 50 or more times a month and can qualify for Active Trader pricing.
What Happened To Bitget?
Bitget is not an option for Canadians. Its Terms of Use name Canada as a prohibited country, and the same page carries a banner saying Bitget does not operate a financial services business in Canada. Some search results claim the restriction only covers Alberta. The official terms say otherwise: it is all of Canada.
It is also unregistered here. Bitget sits on neither the CSA authorized list nor the CSA banned list, and the FINTRAC registry shows its Canadian money services business entry (Canada Bitget Limited, M20179708) expired on March 31, 2023, with no current registration found. No Canadian investor protection applies to anyone who gets around the terms and opens an account anyway.
There is no sign-up link for Bitget on this page, and there will not be one. If you came here for its altcoin menu or its low spot fee, the section below shows where to get the closest thing legally. Read my Bitget page for the longer history.
Where Each Platform Stands In October 2026
Platform
Canadian Status
Key Date
Canadian Registration
Bitget
Offshore, terms prohibit Canada
Terms of Use read Oct 2, 2026
None. Not on the CSA authorized or banned list; FINTRAC entry expired Mar 31, 2023
Wealthsimple Crypto is the platform you can actually use out of this pair, so it gets the full breakdown first. The numbers below come from the platform's own fee pages and Canadian regulator records, checked in early October 2026.
Wealthsimple Crypto
CSA-registered, CIRO dealer Best for: People who already invest with Wealthsimple.
Fees. Without Active Trader status the fee is a flat 0.5% on every order, plus a price spread on market orders (limit orders carry no spread). The fee schedule's own example is 0.50% plus a 1.00% spread, or 1.50% all in. Active Trader status cuts the fee to 0.35% from CAD 10,000 of 30-day volume and down to 0% above CAD 15 million, with no spread, and there is a CAD 1 small-order surcharge.
Funding And Withdrawing CAD.Interac e-Transfer funding is free on Wealthsimple's side (your bank may charge) and works up to CAD 10,000 per transfer or your bank's sending limit. Crypto withdrawals are capped at CAD 10,000 daily and CAD 25,000 weekly across all coins, according to a summary of the help centre.
Coins. Wealthsimple lists Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and 170+ other coins. Staking is offered at up to 5% per year, with Wealthsimple keeping 30% of rewards on Core and Premium plans and 15% on Generation. There are no derivatives or margin.
Safety And Registration. Wealthsimple Investments Inc. is a CIRO Dealer Member, with membership terms imposed on January 1, 2024. Cash is covered by CIPF, but crypto is not. Wealthsimple says each of its custodial partners carries over $75M in cold storage coverage. Its FINTRAC registration (M23997457) runs to March 3, 2028.
App. The app is rated 4.62 from 129,832 ratings on the Canadian Apple App Store and 4.1 across 81K reviews on Google Play.
Kraken is the platform Bitget users are most often pointed to, so it gets a short look as well.
Kraken
CSA-registered Kraken suits people who want to start simple and move to cheaper Pro trading as they learn, and anyone who wants a wide coin menu with Canadian registration behind it.
Kraken At A Glance
Detail
What I Found
Fees
Kraken Pro 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker at the base tier; Instant Buy 1% plus spread
About 490 (derived from Kraken's public pair list)
Registration
Restricted Dealer (Payward Canada Inc.), CSA decision April 1, 2025
Kraken Pro starts at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker, dropping to 0.30% and 0.60% from $2,500 in 30-day volume and to 0.22% and 0.38% from $10,000 (the schedule's own dollar figures, so check the live page). The Instant Buy and Sell button costs a 1% fee on top of the spread, and custom orders run 1.5%. Interac e-Transfer deposits are free, with a CAD 5 minimum and limits of CAD 10,000 per transaction and per day, CAD 30,000 weekly and CAD 100,000 monthly. Taking CAD out by Interac costs CAD 10. A domestic wire deposit is free, with a CAD 100 minimum, though one intermediary bank fee of 13.74 is noted. Debit card deposits cost 0.25 CAD plus 3.75%.
How Does Wealthsimple Crypto Compare With What Bitget Offers?
On paper Bitget is a very large altcoin venue. Its public API lists 3,323 online spot base assets and a base spot fee of 0.1% maker and 0.1% taker per symbol (checked October 2, 2026). None of that helps a Canadian: there is no CAD funding for Canada because the country is prohibited. Wealthsimple lists Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana and 170+ other coins. Staking is offered at up to 5% per year, with Wealthsimple keeping 30% of rewards on Core and Premium plans and 15% on Generation. There are no derivatives or margin.
What The Public Data Shows
Item
Bitget
Wealthsimple Crypto
Spot Trading Fee
0.1% maker and 0.1% taker (base rate)
0.5% baseline fee plus a spread on market orders
Spot Assets
3,323 online base assets (public API)
170+
CAD Funding
None, Canada is prohibited
Free Interac e-Transfer, up to CAD 10,000 each
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Wealthsimple Crypto?
Pros
CIRO investment dealer
Free Interac e-Transfer funding
170+ coins and staking
One app for stocks, cash and crypto
Active Trader tiers with 0% spread
Cons
Market orders carry a spread on top of the 0.5% fee
No CIPF cover on crypto
Withdrawal caps of CAD 10,000 daily
No derivatives or margin
Who Should Choose Wealthsimple Crypto?
Wealthsimple Crypto suits people who already hold investments there and want crypto in the same app, with a regulated dealer behind it. Not sure it fits? Take my 60-second quiz or see my full ranking.
What Changed For Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto In October 2026?
Bitget's Terms of Use still list Canada as a prohibited country, and its page says it does not operate a financial services business in Canada.
Kraken republished its fee schedule, with Pro spot trading starting at 0.40% maker and 0.80% taker.
Wealthsimple updated its crypto fee schedule: 0.5% flat plus spread, Active Trader tiers down to 0%, and a CAD 1 small-order surcharge.
The CSA amended its decision for Wealthsimple Investments Inc.
Kraken received its CSA Restricted Dealer decision as Payward Canada Inc. and announced free Interac e-Transfer deposits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Canadians Use Bitget In 2026?
No. Bitget's Terms of Use list Canada as a prohibited country and say Bitget does not operate a financial services business in Canada. It is not registered with the CSA, and its FINTRAC money services business entry expired on March 31, 2023.
Can Canadians Use Wealthsimple Crypto In 2026?
Yes. Yes. Wealthsimple Investments Inc. is a CIRO Dealer Member and a CSA-registered operator of its crypto platform. Cash is CIPF-covered, but crypto is not.
What Happened To Bitget?
Bitget still operates for other countries, but Canada is a prohibited country in its Terms of Use, so Canadians are shut out. It has no CSA registration and no current FINTRAC registration.
What Should Bitget Users Use Instead?
Registered Canadian platforms such as Wealthsimple Crypto or Kraken. Yes. Wealthsimple Investments Inc. is a CIRO Dealer Member and a CSA-registered operator of its crypto platform. Cash is CIPF-covered, but crypto is not.
What Does Wealthsimple Crypto Charge?
Wealthsimple charges a flat 0.5% on every order plus a spread on market orders. Active Trader status lowers the fee with volume and removes the spread.
Do Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto Have Limit Orders?
Bitget: Not applicable, Canadians cannot use Bitget. Wealthsimple Crypto: Yes, limit orders are never charged a spread, but the 0.5% fee and the CAD 1 small order surcharge still apply.
Which Coins Can You Buy On Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget: 3,323 base assets, none open to Canadians Wealthsimple Crypto: BTC, ETH, SOL and 170+ more
Is The Spread The Fee On Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget: Not applicable. Wealthsimple Crypto: Yes, market orders carry a spread on top of the 0.5% fee unless you hold Active Trader status.
Does CIPF Cover My Crypto On Bitget Or Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget: CIPF never covers crypto, and Bitget is not a CIPF member. Wealthsimple Crypto: CIPF protects cash in the account but never crypto.
Are Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto Available In Every Province?
Bitget: None, Canada is a Prohibited Country. Wealthsimple Crypto: Canadian residents only; no province list was found.
Do Interac Deposits Work On Weekends On Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget: No Interac e-Transfer, CAD was never supported. Wealthsimple Crypto: Not published; instant Interac deposit limits are CAD 50,000 for Core and CAD 250,000 for Premium and Generation.
What Is The Minimum Buy On Bitget And Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget: Not applicable. Wealthsimple Crypto: No account minimum; orders under CAD 100 pay an extra CAD 1.
Can A Business Use Bitget Or Wealthsimple Crypto?
Bitget: Not applicable, Canada is a Prohibited Country. Wealthsimple Crypto: Crypto sits in a personal non-registered account; business crypto is not verified.
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.