Note: Neither platform is available to Canadians. Uphold exited Canada on June 11, 2025, and Canadian accounts were wound down with a withdrawal deadline of September 8, 2025. Bitvo wound down in November 2023 with client accounts migrated to Bitbuy, which is now owned by Robinhood following the June 2026 WonderFi acquisition. This comparison is preserved for historical reference only.
In this article, we compare two leading cryptocurrency exchanges, Uphold and Bitvo, in the context of the Canadian market. Uphold was a multi-asset platform with 200+ coins and an “Anything to Anything” trading model, before exiting Canada in June 2025. Bitvo was a Calgary-based exchange with a same-day guarantee and 24/7 phone support, before its orderly wind-down in November 2023. Neither is available to Canadians in 2026.
Uphold Vs Bitvo: Which Is Better For Canadians?
Neither is an option for Canadians today. Uphold stopped supporting accounts for Canadian residents on June 11, 2025 and says it hopes to return. Bitvo stopped operating on its own in November 2023 when Bitbuy bought all of its client accounts and the Bitvo.com domain. 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.
Uphold Vs Bitvo: Master Spec Table
Uphold
Bitvo
Winner
Company
Uphold Operating Canada Ltd. (FINTRAC). Uphold Worldwide Ltd. filed a pre-registration undertaking 2023-03-27 and withdrew it 2025-05-29. HQ, founder, funding: Not published.
Bitvo Inc., Calgary, founded 2018. Bitbuy bought all client accounts (17,000+ per WonderFi) and the domain in November 2023. Founders and funding: Not published.
Depends
Regulation
FINTRAC MSB M21639172 Expired 2026-01-27. CSA undertaking withdrawn 2025-05-29. Not on the CSA authorized or banned list.
FINTRAC MSB M20580992 Ceased 2024-10-08. Bitvo Inc. is under CSA Expired Decisions.
Tie
Assets
200+ coins plus metals and national currencies, not accessible from Canada.
Small list: BTC, ETH, XRP, LTC, ADA, QCAD.
Depends
Price
Spread, historically about 1.8% on crypto for Canadian users, more on metals.
Zero trading commission, revenue from the spread (rate Not published). 1% withdrawal fee, $15 minimum.
Depends
CAD In
No longer available to Canadians. Deposits ended.
Free deposits; Interac e-Transfer about 30 minutes, no minimum deposit.
Depends
CAD Out
Interac only, CAD 10,000 per transaction, CAD 100,000 per day, for balances left after the deadline.
1% withdrawal fee with a $15 minimum.
Depends
Crypto In And Out
No longer available to Canadians
No longer available to Canadians
Depends
Custody
Roughly 90% in cold storage with reserve information published, per old row. Remaining Canadian crypto was converted to CAD after 2025-09-08.
Full reserve, never lent customer funds. BitGo custody, over 80% in cold storage.
Depends
Verification (KYC)
No longer available to Canadians
No longer available to Canadians
Depends
Account Types
No longer available to Canadians
No longer available to Canadians
Depends
Provinces
No longer available to Canadians
No longer available to Canadians
Depends
Extra Products
No longer available to Canadians
Bitvo Cash Card and the Same Day Guarantee.
Depends
Tax Tools
No longer available to Canadians
No longer available to Canadians
Depends
App
iOS about 4.6; Google Play Not verified. Login and CAD withdrawal only for Canadians.
What Are The Key Differences Between Uphold And Bitvo?
Uphold Vs Bitvo: Side By Side
Uphold
Bitvo
Description
Uphold is a multi-asset platform offering 200+ cryptocurrencies, precious metals and national currencies, with its signature Anything to Anything trading. As of 2025-06-11 it stopped supporting Canadian accounts due to changes in its operating environment, and says it is working on plans to return in the future.
Bitvo was a Calgary-based cryptocurrency exchange, founded in 2018, known for its Same Day Guarantee, zero trading fees and 24/7 phone support. In November 2023 its client accounts were acquired by Bitbuy and the Bitvo platform was wound down. It is also remembered as the exchange FTX almost bought, a deal terminated days after FTX's collapse in November 2022.
Coins
200+ cryptocurrencies, not accessible from Canada.
A small selection including Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, Cardano and QCAD, Canada's first mass-market stablecoin.
Fees
Uphold priced trades with spreads, historically around 1.8% on crypto for Canadian users and higher on metals, and its fees always ran high compared with dedicated crypto exchanges.
Free deposits, zero trading fees (revenue came from the spread), and a 1% withdrawal fee with a $15 minimum.
Pros
Wide range of cryptocurrencies, including lesser-known assets
Multi-asset trading across crypto, metals and currencies
Anything to Anything swaps in seconds
Recurring buy and sell orders
No trading fees
The Same Day Guarantee
The Bitvo Cash Card
Rare 24/7 phone support
Cons
Not available in Canada since 2025-06-11
High spreads compared to dedicated exchanges
Canadians who missed the 2025-09-08 withdrawal deadline had remaining crypto converted to CAD
Platform wound down in November 2023 with client accounts sold to Bitbuy
High spreads masked the "zero fee" pitch
The 1% withdrawal fee was a sore point
Small coin selection even at its peak
Security
2FA required before transferring funds, roughly 90% of digital assets in cold storage, compliance with OFAC and Bank Secrecy Act requirements, published reserve information and regular audits.
Bitvo operated on a full reserve basis, meaning it never lent customer funds, and held client assets with third-party custodian BitGo, with over 80% in cold storage. No customer funds were reported lost in the wind-down.
Methods To Buy
Canadians cannot buy on Uphold. The withdrawal deadline was 2025-09-08 and remaining crypto was converted to CAD, which accounts with balances can withdraw by Interac. Do not leave it sitting there, since unclaimed funds may eventually be surrendered under unclaimed property laws. Vault users can withdraw through the Vault Recovery Site while they hold their private keys; Uphold keeps its Vault key for only 12 months after account closure.
There was no way to buy through Bitvo after the migration. Former clients were moved to Bitbuy. A site claiming to be Bitvo and taking deposits is an impostor.
App
iOS app rated about 4.6. Google Play rating Not verified (our old rows disagree). For Canadians the app only serves to log in and withdraw CAD.
Not published. The website and apps are no longer operational.
Account Limits
New Canadian accounts cannot be opened. Existing accounts are CAD-withdrawal-only via Interac, with limits of CAD 10,000 per transaction and CAD 100,000 per day.
No minimum deposit. Free 30-minute Interac e-Transfer deposits.
How Do You Fund And Cash Out Uphold And Bitvo In Canada?
Uphold: CAD Withdrawals (When It Operated)
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Interac e-Transfer
Not published
Not published
CAD 10,000 per transaction, CAD 100,000 per day
Not published
Bitvo: CAD Deposits (When It Operated)
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Interac e-Transfer
Free
No minimum
Not published
about 30 minutes
Bitvo: CAD Withdrawals (When It Operated)
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Fiat withdrawal
1%
CAD 15 fee minimum
Not published
Not published
Canadian crypto remaining after 2025-09-08 was converted to CAD. Withdraw by logging in. Unclaimed funds may eventually be surrendered under unclaimed property laws. All funding now ended. Accounts moved to Bitbuy.
What Do Uphold And Bitvo Offer Beyond Buying And Selling?
Uphold Only
Anything to Anything: One-step swaps between crypto, metals and currencies. Not available to Canadians.
Vault: Self-held Vault accounts can be recovered through the Vault Recovery Site while you hold your private keys; Uphold keeps its Vault key 12 months after closure.
Bitvo Only
Bitvo Cash Card: A prepaid card product listed among Bitvo's strengths.
Same Day Guarantee: A funding-speed promise Bitvo marketed.
What Happens To Your Money If Uphold Or Bitvo Fails?
Uphold: Uphold's pre-registration undertaking was withdrawn and its Canadian MSB registration expired, so no Canadian regulator covers a leftover balance. Crypto left after 2025-09-08 was converted to CAD and can still be withdrawn by Interac; do not leave it there, because unclaimed funds may be surrendered under unclaimed property laws. Vault users must act within the 12-month key window. Uphold says it hopes to return, but no date exists.
Bitvo: This was a merger, not a collapse: Bitvo's client accounts moved to Bitbuy, which has since moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. and now Robinhood, per the registry. Check that you are logged into your account with the current owner and withdraw to a wallet if you prefer. Do not send crypto to an old Bitvo address or trust a site using the Bitvo name.
How Are Uphold And Bitvo Treated For Tax In Canada?
Uphold: The forced conversion to CAD after 2025-09-08 was a disposition, and trades on Uphold were dispositions for CRA purposes. Export your full history while you can still log in. Export formats: Not published.
Bitvo: Trades on Bitvo were dispositions for CRA purposes. Ask for or export your Bitvo history from your migrated Bitbuy account. Export formats: Not published.
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, Uphold Or Bitvo?
Choose Uphold 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.
Choose Bitvo 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.
What Happened To Uphold?
Left Canada
Uphold stopped supporting accounts for Canadian residents on June 11, 2025, and it says it hopes to return. It never appeared on the CSA's list of authorized platforms. It had filed a Pre-Registration Undertaking with the CSA on March 27, 2023, and delivered a notice of withdrawal on May 29, 2025, a couple of weeks before it pulled the plug.
Its FINTRAC registration for the Canadian entity, UPHOLD OPERATING CANADA LTD., is listed as expired on January 27, 2026. So there is no regulated Uphold service for Canadians today, whatever the website says about a comeback.
What Should Uphold Users Do Now?
If you still have a balance, the clock has already run. The withdrawal deadline for Canadian users was September 8, 2025, and after that date any crypto still in an account was converted to CAD. Accounts with balances can now only withdraw CAD by Interac, with limits of CAD 10,000 per transaction and CAD 100,000 per day.
Log in, withdraw the CAD, and move on. Do not wait for a relaunch before acting on money that is already yours.
What Happened To Bitvo?
Merged Into Bitbuy
Bitvo stopped operating on its own in November 2023, when Bitbuy bought all of its client accounts and the Bitvo.com domain. The deal closed on November 14 and 15, 2023, and the press release is dated November 15. WonderFi put the number at more than 17,000 client accounts. Bitvo was an Alberta-based platform, and this was a merger, not a departure from Canada.
The story did not stop there. 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 that customers are being invited to move to the Robinhood app. Bitvo.com no longer resolves.
What Should Bitvo Users Do Now?
If you had a Bitvo account, it was migrated to Bitbuy, so your balance now sits on the Coinsquare and Robinhood side of that chain, not on anything called Bitvo. Because bitvo.com no longer resolves, treat any website using the Bitvo name that asks for a login or a deposit as an impostor.
What Should Uphold And Bitvo Users Use Instead?
Wealthsimple Crypto: An Available Option
Registered mainstream Canadian platform with simple CAD funding for a casual multi-asset buyer. That is the nearest fit for Uphold users.
Wealthsimple Crypto: key facts
Item
Wealthsimple Crypto
Trading Cost
Flat 0.5% fee plus a spread on market orders (limit orders carry no spread); the fee schedule's example is 0.50% plus 1.00% spread, or 1.50%. With Active Trader status the spread is 0% and the fee runs 0.5% under CAD 10,000 of 30-day volume, down to 0.05% at the top tiers. CAD 1 surcharge on orders under CAD 100.
CAD Funding
Free Interac e-Transfer, up to CAD 10,000 each
Coins
170+
Registration
CIRO investment dealer member; CSA decision December 18, 2023 (amended December 22, 2025)
Sign-Up Offer
None confirmed
Wealthsimple takes free Interac e-Transfer deposits of up to CAD 10,000 each, or whatever your bank allows. Crypto withdrawal limits are up to CAD 10,000 a day and CAD 25,000 a week across all coins, according to a summary of the help centre. A CAD withdrawal fee was not found.
Wealthsimple Investments Inc. is a CIRO investment dealer member and sits on the CSA list (decision December 18, 2023, amended December 22, 2025). Wealthsimple says crypto is held in trust and that its custodial partners each carry over $75M of cold storage coverage. Cash is covered by CIPF, crypto is not.
Wealthsimple's iOS app is rated 4.62 across 129,832 Canadian ratings, a very large base, and Google Play shows 4.1 from 81K reviews.
Wealthsimple Crypto: Pros And Cons
Pros
With Active Trader status the spread drops to 0% and the fee can fall to 0.05%
Free Interac e-Transfer
CIRO investment dealer member
170+ coins
Sits next to your other Wealthsimple accounts
Cons
Without Active Trader status you pay 0.5% plus a spread on market orders
CAD 1 surcharge on orders under CAD 100
Crypto is not covered by CIPF
30% of staking rewards go to Wealthsimple on Core and Premium
Registered Canadian platform with CAD funding and a CIRO investment dealer membership. That is the nearest fit for Bitvo users.
NDAX: key facts
Item
NDAX
Trading Cost
Flat 0.20% on every buy and sell, with no volume tiers
CAD Funding
Free: Interac e-Transfer (0 to 30 minutes) and wire
Coins
77 base assets (public API)
Registration
CIRO investment dealer member (terms imposed December 19, 2024); CSA decision; FINTRAC MSB
Sign-Up Offer
None verified
NDAX takes free Interac e-Transfer deposits, usually processed within 0 to 30 minutes, and free wires in 0 to 1 business days. Cash-outs cost CAD 1.50 by Interac (up to CAD 10,000 per transaction) and CAD 4.99 by direct bank deposit.
Ndax Canada Inc. is a CIRO investment dealer member (terms imposed December 19, 2024), has a CSA decision of the same date and is a FINTRAC-registered MSB. NDAX describes cold and hot wallet storage with multi-signature authorization and MPC protection. No insurance dollar figure or proof of reserves appeared on the pages checked.
NDAX's apps rate 4.75 across 15,225 Canadian App Store ratings and 4.7 on Google Play from 5.85K reviews.
NDAX: Pros And Cons
Pros
Flat 0.20% fee, no tiers
Free Interac and wire deposits
CIRO investment dealer member
77 assets
Highly rated apps
Cons
Interac cash-out costs CAD 1.50 and EFT cash-out CAD 4.99
No insurance figure or proof of reserves published
What Changed For Uphold And Bitvo In October 2026?
: Wealthsimple updated its crypto fee schedule: 0.5% flat plus spread, Active Trader tiers down to 0%, and a CAD 1 surcharge on small orders.
: Robinhood closed its WonderFi purchase, and the Bitbuy site now says it is part of Robinhood.
: The CSA issued an amended decision for Wealthsimple Investments Inc.
: Withdrawal deadline for Canadian Uphold users; remaining crypto was converted to CAD afterwards.
: Uphold stopped supporting accounts for Canadian residents.
: Uphold delivered its notice of withdrawal from the CSA undertaking process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Uphold Available In Canada In 2026?
No. Uphold stopped supporting Canadian residents on June 11, 2025, and says it hopes to return. It is not on the CSA's list of authorized platforms.
Can I Still Get My Money Out Of Uphold?
Accounts with balances can withdraw CAD by Interac, with limits of CAD 10,000 per transaction and CAD 100,000 per day. The deadline to move crypto was September 8, 2025, and anything left after that was converted to CAD.
Is Bitvo Still Operating In Canada?
No. Bitvo stopped operating on its own in November 2023, when Bitbuy acquired all of its client accounts. The platform was merged into Bitbuy, which is now part of Robinhood.
What Happened To My Bitvo Account?
It was migrated to Bitbuy. Bitbuy accounts later moved to Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd., and since June 1, 2026 the Bitbuy site says it is part of Robinhood.
What Should I Use Instead Of Uphold?
Registered mainstream Canadian platform with simple CAD funding for a casual multi-asset buyer. The registered options with verified data on this page are Wealthsimple Crypto, NDAX.
Do Uphold And Bitvo Have Limit Orders?
Uphold: Not applicable. Bitvo: Not published
Which Coins Can You Buy On Uphold And Bitvo?
Uphold: 200+ globally, none for Canadians Bitvo: Small list, closed
Is The Spread The Fee On Uphold And Bitvo?
Uphold: No longer applicable. Bitvo: No longer applicable.
Does CIPF Cover My Crypto On Uphold Or Bitvo?
Uphold: CIPF never covers crypto, and this platform no longer serves Canadians. Bitvo: CIPF never covers crypto, and this platform no longer serves Canadians.
Are Uphold And Bitvo Available In Every Province?
Uphold: No longer available in any province. Bitvo: No longer available in any province.
Do Interac Deposits Work On Weekends On Uphold And Bitvo?
Uphold: No longer applicable. Bitvo: No longer applicable.
What Is The Minimum Buy On Uphold And Bitvo?
Uphold: No longer applicable. Bitvo: No longer applicable.
Can A Business Use Uphold Or Bitvo?
Uphold: No longer applicable. Bitvo: No longer applicable.
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.
