Security Compliance
Bitbuy remains one of the safest crypto exchanges for Canadians. Client assets are segregated and held predominantly in insured cold storage with custodian BitGo, protected by mandatory two-factor authentication, and verified through quarterly proof-of-reserves reporting required under CIRO oversight. Bitbuy has operated since 2016 without a hack. The Robinhood acquisition doesn't change these protections, since Robinhood stepped into Canada's existing regulatory structure rather than around it. As always, crypto itself isn't covered by CIPF, so long-term holdings belong in your own wallet.
KuCoin offers two-factor authentication and has tightened compliance considerably since its early years. Its history still matters though: $275 million was stolen by North Korean hackers in 2020, with about $200 million recovered, and in 2025 its operator pleaded guilty in the US to anti-money-laundering failures. If you somehow still have funds on the exchange, move them to a private crypto wallet.
Bitbuy remains one of the safest crypto exchanges for Canadians. Client assets are segregated and held predominantly in insured cold storage with custodian BitGo, protected by mandatory two-factor authentication, and verified through quarterly proof-of-reserves reporting required under CIRO oversight. Bitbuy has operated since 2016 without a hack. The Robinhood acquisition, completed June 1, 2026, doesn't change these protections — Robinhood stepped into Canada's existing regulatory structure. As always, crypto itself isn't covered by CIPF, so long-term holdings belong in your own wallet.
KuCoin offers two-factor authentication and has tightened compliance considerably since its early years. Its history still matters: $275 million was stolen by North Korean hackers in 2020, with about $200 million later recovered — one of the largest exchange hacks on record. In 2025 its operator pleaded guilty in the US to anti-money-laundering failures with ~$297 million in penalties. If you still have funds on the exchange, move them to a private crypto wallet — note that incoming transfers from KuCoin may be blocked by regulated Canadian exchanges, so withdraw to your own wallet first.
Bitbuy holds client assets in insured cold storage with BitGo, mandates 2FA, and publishes quarterly proof-of-reserves under CIRO requirements — a clean security record in a decade of operation. KuCoin has tightened its posture post-2020 but its $275M hack history and US guilty plea are major red flags. Since KuCoin is not available to Canadians, only Bitbuy's security is relevant here.
Regulatory Compliance
Bitbuy's regulatory pedigree is among the best in Canada: it was the country's first registered crypto marketplace back in 2021, is registered with FINTRAC, and operates under CIRO oversight through the WonderFi group's registered dealer. In June 2026, Robinhood completed its C$250 million acquisition of WonderFi after CIRO approved the transfer of control, making Bitbuy part of a Nasdaq-listed company while keeping all Canadian registrations in place. The old IIROC Crypto-Asset Working Group reference is obsolete, as IIROC merged into CIRO in 2023.
KuCoin is banned in Canada. After ignoring OSC proceedings entirely, KuCoin received a permanent ban from Ontario's capital markets in June 2022 along with the maximum penalties the tribunal could impose, about $2 million plus costs, and the CSA lists it as a banned platform nationwide. Mandatory KYC since July 2023 means there is no longer any workaround, and using a VPN violates KuCoin's own terms with the risk of frozen funds and zero consumer protection or legal recourse in Canada. This is a hard no for Canadians, not a grey area.
Bitbuy's regulatory pedigree is among the best in Canada. It was the country's first registered crypto marketplace in 2021, is registered with FINTRAC, and operates under CIRO oversight through the WonderFi/Robinhood group's registered dealer structure. On June 1, 2026, Robinhood completed its C$250 million acquisition of WonderFi after CIRO approved the transfer of control, bringing Bitbuy under Robinhood's international operations while keeping all Canadian registrations intact.
KuCoin is banned in Canada. After ignoring OSC proceedings entirely, KuCoin received a permanent ban from Ontario's capital markets in June 2022 along with the maximum penalties the tribunal could impose — about $2 million plus costs. The CSA lists it as a banned platform nationwide — not just Ontario. Mandatory KYC since July 2023 means there is no longer any workaround, and using a VPN violates KuCoin's own terms with the risk of frozen funds and zero consumer protection or legal recourse in Canada. This is a hard no for Canadians, not a grey area.
Bitbuy is registered with FINTRAC and operates under CIRO oversight through the Robinhood/WonderFi group. KuCoin is permanently banned from Canadian capital markets nationwide and is not registered with Canadian securities regulators.
Customer support
Bitbuy has FAQs and a knowledge centre on its website, with support handled through email tickets. There's no live chat or phone line, and replies can take a while for complex issues, which is a genuine weakness compared to competitors like NDAX or Netcoins that offer real-time channels. Bitbuy account holders should also watch their inbox for Robinhood migration communications and review new terms carefully before accepting them.
KuCoin offers FAQs, an online ticketing system and 24/7 live chat for users in supported countries. For Canadians the only relevant support scenario is recovering legacy funds, and be prepared for friction, since closed-jurisdiction withdrawals often involve extra verification steps.
Bitbuy has FAQs and a knowledge centre on its website, with support handled through email tickets. There's no live chat or phone line, and replies can take a while for complex issues — a genuine weakness compared to competitors like NDAX or Netcoins that offer real-time channels. Bitbuy account holders should watch their inbox for Robinhood migration communications and review new terms carefully before accepting them.
KuCoin offers FAQs, an online ticketing system and 24/7 live chat for users in supported countries. For Canadians the only relevant support scenario is recovering legacy funds, and be prepared for friction since closed-jurisdiction withdrawals often involve extra verification steps.
Bitbuy's email-only support is the only relevant option for Canadians. KuCoin's support is relevant only for recovering legacy funds, where expect friction. For Canadians who want real-time support, NDAX and Netcoins both offer phone and live chat.
Conclusion
From a Canadian perspective, this comparison has a clear answer. KuCoin is permanently banned in Canada — the CSA lists it as a banned platform nationwide, not just in Ontario — and was hacked for $275 million in 2020. Recommending it for Canadians is wrong on every level.
Bitbuy is the clear choice. As one of Canada's longest-standing registered platforms under CIRO oversight, it combines a decade-long clean security record, free Interac deposits, staking on nine coins, Express and Pro trading platforms in one app, an OTC desk, and the backing of Robinhood's C$2.1 billion in Canadian assets under custody. The near-term trade-off is migration uncertainty — new fees, a new interface and new terms are coming under the Robinhood platform, and users should read those communications carefully. The 39% staking cut is also the highest in Canada.
If you have legacy funds on KuCoin, withdraw them to your own wallet immediately — do not transfer directly to a regulated Canadian exchange, as some platforms block incoming transfers from KuCoin. Route through your own wallet first.
We recommend choosing Bitbuy over KuCoin for your cryptocurrency trading needs. By using our referral link, you get $50 and support us in conducting comprehensive independent analyses of crypto trading options for Canadians.
If you find that Bitbuy doesn't meet your requirements, we encourage you to explore our monthly-updated list of the best exchanges for Canadians to trade crypto.
