Security Compliance
Newton holds 80% of client assets offline in custodial cold storage with Coinbase and the remaining 20% in hot wallets secured by Fireblocks, with crypto assets covered by an insurance policy. Customer data is stored on Canadian servers with daily offsite backups, and the platform is tested internally every month and externally every year for vulnerabilities. Mandatory two-factor authentication and direct bank integration round out fraud protection.
NDAX keeps roughly 95% of digital assets in cold storage using Ledger Vault, a big name in crypto security, alongside multi-signature wallets and regular audits. Two-factor authentication is mandatory at sign-up, a policy we like since most exchanges leave it optional. Changing account details like your email or phone number requires submitting a selfie with a handwritten note, an old-school but effective defence against account takeover. As a CIRO member, NDAX also keeps client CAD balances in segregated accounts, though crypto assets themselves aren't covered by deposit insurance.
Newton holds 80% of client assets offline in custodial cold storage with Coinbase and the remaining 20% in hot wallets secured by Fireblocks, with crypto assets covered by an insurance policy. Customer data is stored on Canadian servers with daily offsite backups, and the platform is tested internally every month and externally every year for vulnerabilities. Mandatory two-factor authentication and direct bank integration round out fraud protection.
NDAX keeps roughly 95% of digital assets in cold storage via BitGo Trust and Tetra Trust, two institutional-grade custodians approved as part of NDAX's CIRO membership, alongside multi-signature wallets and regular audits. Two-factor authentication is mandatory at sign-up. Changing account details like your email or phone number requires submitting a selfie with a handwritten note — an effective defence against account takeover. As a CIRO member, NDAX keeps client CAD balances in segregated accounts protected under CIPF in the event of insolvency. Crypto assets themselves are not covered by CIPF.
Newton publishes its custody split: 80% with Coinbase Custody (cold storage, insured) and 20% with Fireblocks (hot wallets), with mandatory 2FA and regular internal and external security audits. NDAX keeps 95% of assets in cold storage via BitGo Trust and Tetra Trust, enforces mandatory 2FA, and carries CIPF on fiat as a CIRO investment dealer. Both platforms are transparent about their custody arrangements and have clean fund-safety records.
Regulatory Compliance
Newton is regulated by the Canadian Securities Administrators, FINTRAC, and securities regulators in every province and territory, a major step up from its early days as a FINTRAC-only MSB. It was among the first Canadian exchanges to pursue securities registration, and its affiliation with DV Trading adds institutional market-making depth behind its pricing.
NDAX is one of the most compliant platforms in Canada: a registered investment dealer and CIRO member since December 2024, licensed across all provinces and territories, and registered with FINTRAC and the AMF. It has also received CIRO approval to offer staking, which very few Canadian platforms can claim.
Newton is regulated by the Canadian Securities Administrators, FINTRAC, and securities regulators in every province and territory, a major step up from its early days as a FINTRAC-only MSB. It was among the first Canadian exchanges to pursue securities registration, and its affiliation with DV Trading adds institutional market-making depth behind its pricing.
NDAX is one of the most compliant platforms in Canada. It became a registered investment dealer and CIRO member on December 19, 2024, approved across all provinces and territories by the Canadian Securities Administrators. It is also registered with FINTRAC and the AMF, and has received CIRO approval to offer staking services, which very few Canadian platforms can claim.
Both Newton and NDAX are registered with FINTRAC and fully authorized to serve Canadians. NDAX holds the higher regulatory tier as a full CIRO investment dealer with CIPF coverage on fiat; Newton operates as a CSA Restricted Dealer working toward the same standard.
Customer support
Newton has FAQs and a knowledge centre on its website, with support handled through online tickets. There's no phone or live chat, and its middling Trustpilot score mostly reflects slow support and ID-verification frustrations rather than fund-safety issues. For simple buy-and-hold users the support model is adequate; anyone who values a human on demand should look at NDAX or Netcoins instead.
NDAX provides a knowledge centre answering the most common questions, plus live chat, email and phone support available Monday to Friday from 10 AM to midnight ET. When we contacted them, we got a reply in an impressive 20 minutes. Their team also responds to negative reviews publicly, which speaks well of how seriously they take support.
Newton has FAQs and a knowledge centre on its website, with support handled through online tickets. There's no phone or live chat, and its middling Trustpilot score mostly reflects slow support and ID-verification frustrations rather than fund-safety issues. For simple buy-and-hold users the support model is adequate. Newton also integrates with Koinly for simplified tax reporting at year end.
NDAX provides a knowledge centre answering the most common questions, plus live chat, email and phone support available Monday to Friday from 10 AM to midnight ET. When we contacted them, we got a reply in an impressive 20 minutes. Their team also responds to negative reviews publicly, which speaks well of how seriously they take support.
NDAX's multi-channel support — live chat, email and phone — is a clear advantage over Newton's ticket-only model. Newton's Koinly integration partially compensates by reducing the tax-season support burden.
Conclusion
Both Newton and NDAX are strong, well-regulated Canadian exchanges, and the right choice depends on what you value.
Newton is the stronger pick for Canadians who want commission-free trading across 70+ coins, free Interac deposits and withdrawals, staking on ETH and SOL, T5-friendly exports, Koinly tax integration and a $25 referral bonus. The widening spreads are the main weakness for active traders — NDAX's 0.2% flat fee is more cost-effective at any meaningful volume.
NDAX is the stronger pick for Canadians who want the lowest flat fee (0.2%, no spread markup), the highest regulatory protection (CIRO investment dealer with CIPF on fiat), staking on 12+ coins with CIRO approval, free Interac deposits, phone support until midnight on weekdays, and a 4.7-star iOS app. The coin selection is slightly smaller than Newton's, and the 20% staking commission is worth knowing. For cost-sensitive regular traders, NDAX's fee structure is simply better.
We recommend choosing Newton for Canadians who prioritize commission-free simplicity and Koinly integration, and NDAX for those who want the lowest fees, CIRO protection and real-time phone support. By using our referral links, you get $25 on Newton and support us in conducting comprehensive independent analyses of crypto trading options for Canadians.
If you find that neither Newton nor NDAX meets your requirements, we encourage you to explore our monthly-updated list of the best exchanges for Canadians to trade crypto.
