Brian visits Canada in milestone moment for the country’s crypto journey

Building and growing in Canada with Shopify

Brian and Tobi will hold a discussion at the Shopify office on a wide range of topics, from building a business in Canada to the state of the crypto ecosystem to the importance of empowering entrepreneurs. Both have a shared passion for building, creating value for customers, and a like-minded vision to build a better world through the power of technology. 

Coinbase, which launched in Canada in August, sees significant opportunity for the crypto economy to grow and thrive in the Canadian market. Ranked as Coinbase’s third-most crypto-aware nation globally, Canada boasts an enthusiastic tech ecosystem that is ready to embrace digital currencies. This sentiment is reinforced by a survey from the Ontario Securities Commission, indicating that over 30% of Canadians are interested in buying digital assets within the year.

We’ve taken several major steps in recent months to grow in Canada. These include:

• Announcing our official Canadian launch in August, marked by the completed roll-out of Interac payment rails in partnership with Peoples Trust, empowering all Canadian Coinbase users to seamlessly deposit and withdraw funds (CAD) to and from their Coinbase wallets through Interac e-transfers. This is helping make crypto more accessible to millions of Canadians. 

• Working with regulators, banking partners and institutional investors: In March, we signed an Enhanced Pre-Registration Undertaking, demonstrating our dedication to regulatory compliance and operational excellence. Recognizing the pivotal role of thoughtful regulation in the crypto landscape, Coinbase has collaborated with Canadian regulators to cultivate a policy framework that can serve as a global benchmark.

• Investing in Canada's thriving tech and developer ecosystem has been paramount to our strategy. Through Coinbase Ventures, we've nurtured local startups in fields ranging from risk assessment to asset management. Notable Canadian portfolio partners include Dapper Labs, Minerva AI, Axelar, Horizon Blockchain Games, and Zapper.

The event at Shopify will include an innovative demo experience that showcases the future of crypto, and through the Coinbase Wallet app guests will be able to purchase food, drinks and swag using USDC.

Regulatory insights with the OSC

The event at Shopify will also feature an important talk between Faryar Shirzad, our Chief Policy Officer, and Grant Vingoe, CEO of the Ontario Securities Commission, on the importance of building a strong regulatory framework for digital assets that Canadians can trust. 

We believe that regulation is essential for building trust and fostering innovation in the cryptocurrency market, and we applaud the Canadian securities regulators’ efforts to bring clarity to the industry. 

We've made it a priority to work closely with regulators in key countries as part of our international growth. Over the last year, we've achieved registrations in Spain, Singapore, Italy, Ireland, and the Netherlands.

Talking Institutional Investing with RBC

While in Toronto, Brian will also sit down with Sid Paquette, Head of RBCx and Ventures at the Royal Bank of Canada. They will discuss the interest from institutional investors in crypto exposure, and the accelerated growth of crypto ETFs. 

Since launching in Canada we’ve been closely engaged with Canadian banks, investment advisors, and other institutions, showing our dedication to facilitating their successful navigation of the evolving digital asset realm.

Engagement with press 

Brian will be taking time to speak with a number of different media outlets in Toronto to discuss Coinbase’s commitment to Canada. He will sit down with The Peak Free Lunch podcast for a wide ranging conversation on the evolution of the crypto economy. He will also speak with the Toronto Star and Decrypt.

Meeting with the Coinbase Team

As part of our commitment to fostering a user-centric crypto platform tailored for Canadians, we have built a robust Canadian tech hub. With nearly 200 full-time local employees, Canada is Coinbase's largest tech hub outside the US. While in Toronto, Brian will spend time with our team here and host a team Q&A. 

Brian’s visit to Toronto marks a significant development for Coinbase in Canada. We’re excited to continue working with stakeholders across Canada to accelerate the adoption of digital assets, foster economic empowerment, and reshape the global financial system.