In this comparison, we look at the key features and services offered by two notable cryptocurrency exchanges catering to the Canadian market, Newton and Uphold. From a Canadian perspective, the comparison is one-sided: Uphold exited Canada on June 11, 2025, and is no longer available. Newton is a Toronto-based exchange registered with securities regulators in every Canadian province and territory and remains fully operational.
Newton Vs Uphold: Which Is Better For Canadians?
Newton wins by default for Canadians. Uphold stopped supporting accounts for Canadian residents on June 11, 2025 and says it hopes to return. Since Uphold no longer operates for Canadians, I recommend Coinbase (9.8/10, #1 on my list): open a Coinbase account.
7.9/10
CSA-registered, CIRO investment dealer
Beginners who want a Canadian-regulated dealer with free CAD funding
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.
Newton Vs Uphold: Master Spec Table
Newton
Uphold
Winner
Company
Newton Crypto Ltd., Toronto. Launched 2018 by Dustin Walper (CEO), Erynn Saunders and Tyson Leslie. Raised a CAD 25M Series B led by DV Chain. Staff not sourced.
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.
Depends
Regulation
CIRO investment dealer since 2026-03-18, CIPF member for cash (never crypto). CSA decision 2022-08-15, amended 2026-03-25. FINTRAC MSB M19607029, expires 2029-01-31. AMF not verified.
FINTRAC MSB M21639172 Expired 2026-01-27. CSA undertaking withdrawn 2025-05-29. Not on the CSA authorized or banned list.
Newton
Assets
59 CAD pairs on the official help list (it may lag delistings, UMA and SKL still listed). No order book. USDC offered, USDT not.
200+ coins plus metals and national currencies, not accessible from Canada.
Newton
Price
Spread-based. Tier 1 (BTC, ETH, USDC) 1.00% to 1.15%, Tier 2 1.25% to 1.45%, Tier 3 1.50% to 1.60%. Signature status lowers it, to 1.00% from CAD 100K and 0.05% from CAD 5M of 365-day volume.
Spread, historically about 1.8% on crypto for Canadian users, more on metals.
Newton
CAD In
Free: Interac e-Transfer (CAD 10,000 per request, CAD 70,000 weekly) and pre-authorized debit. Wires are free from CAD 10,000 and cost CAD 35 between CAD 5,000 and 10,000.
No longer available to Canadians. Deposits ended.
Newton
CAD Out
Free: Interac e-Transfer (CAD 10,000 per transaction) and EFT (CAD 50,000 per transaction), CAD 50,000 a week combined. Wire up to CAD 1,000,000, withdrawal wire fee not stated.
Interac only, CAD 10,000 per transaction, CAD 100,000 per day, for balances left after the deadline.
Newton
Crypto In And Out
On-chain, multi-network, address book. BTC and Ethereum lanes: Fast CAD 10 + fee (30 min), Standard fee only (2 h), Free nightly. Newton covers up to CAD 5 a day. No Lightning found.
No longer available to Canadians
Newton
Custody
Custodial. 'Over 80% of assets are stored offline' and crypto asset insurance in Newton's words, amount not published. SOC 2 Type II. No proof of reserves. Crypto not CIPF protected.
Roughly 90% in cold storage with reserve information published, per old row. Remaining Canadian crypto was converted to CAD after 2025-09-08.
Newton
Verification (KYC)
Canadian government photo ID plus a selfie through Persona, North American phone number, proof of address in some cases. Review often under 5 minutes. SIN not stated. Residents of Canada, 18 or older.
No longer available to Canadians
Depends
Account Types
Personal and corporate accounts (corporations, non-profits and not-for-profits) via an onboarding package. No TFSA or RRSP.
No longer available to Canadians
Newton
Provinces
All provinces and territories. Net buy cap on restricted coins outside AB, BC, MB, SK and QC. French UI and support not verified.
No longer available to Canadians
Newton
Extra Products
Staking (ETH, SOL, ADA), swaps, recurring buys, referral program (CAD 20 welcome bonus, up to CAD 100 per referral), Signature fee program.
No longer available to Canadians
Newton
Tax Tools
Transaction history as a Koinly-formatted CSV plus a direct Koinly connect offer. No CRA-formatted report from Newton itself.
No longer available to Canadians
Newton
App
iOS 4.62 (24,473 ratings, Canada store), Google Play 4.3 (about 8.14K reviews, global). Web app yes, 2FA mandatory. French UI not verified.
iOS about 4.6; Google Play Not verified. Login and CAD withdrawal only for Canadians.
Newton
Support
Email (support@newton.co) and in-app ticket. A phone number (+1 855 639 8662) is on the site footer but not described as a support line. Hours and French not verified.
What Are The Key Differences Between Newton And Uphold?
Newton Vs Uphold: Side By Side
Newton
Uphold
Description
Newton is a Toronto-based exchange, launched in 2018, that pioneered commission-free crypto trading in Canada. There are no trading commissions or funding fees; Newton earns through a spread built into prices. It is one of the most beginner-friendly platforms in the country and since 2026-03-18 it is a CIRO investment dealer member.
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.
Coins
59 CAD pairs, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, XRP, Dogecoin, Cardano, USDC, Chainlink and Polkadot. USDT, BNB and TRON are not available.
200+ cryptocurrencies, not accessible from Canada.
Fees
0% commissions, 0% fees on Interac e-Transfer and EFT funding and withdrawals | Spreads are the real cost, tiered by asset: 1.00% to 1.15% on BTC, ETH and USDC, 1.25% to 1.45% on LTC, SOL and XLM, 1.50% to 1.60% on everything else, falling to 0.05% by Signature status (trailing 365-day volume) | Up to CAD 5 in network fees covered on the first crypto withdrawal each day | Wires are free from CAD 10,000, with a CAD 35 fee between CAD 5,000 and CAD 10,000 | BTC and Ethereum network withdrawals have a Fast lane (CAD 10 + network fee), Standard lane and a free nightly lane
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.
Pros
No commissions, and Interac, EFT and large-wire funding is free
CIRO investment dealer member since March 2026, with a CSA decision history back to 2022
Staking on ETH, SOL and ADA
Market and limit orders and recurring buys
Koinly-formatted tax export and a direct Koinly link
Clean, beginner-friendly interface
Referral bonus of CAD 20 for the friend and up to CAD 100 for you
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
Cons
Spreads of 1.00% to 1.60% are well above order book fees for active traders
Support runs by email and in-app ticket, no live chat
A Trustpilot rating around 2.6 was reported in our earlier review, largely over support speed and verification friction
No USDT, no advanced trading tools, margin or derivatives
Only 59 CAD pairs
Crypto assets are not covered by CIPF
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
Security
Over 80% of assets stored offline in cold storage, a crypto asset insurance policy described by Newton as full coverage (no amount published), SOC 2 Type II certification, AES-256 encryption, MFA, 24/7 monitoring, annual third-party penetration tests and a bug bounty. Customer cash is covered by CIPF as a dealer member, crypto is not. The custodian is not named on the current security page.
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.
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.
App
iOS 4.62 on the Canadian App Store (24,473 ratings), Google Play 4.3 (about 8.14K reviews, global). Web app available.
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.
Account Limits
Deposits: e-Transfer 'Request Funds' CAD 10,000 per transaction and CAD 70,000 weekly, wire up to CAD 1,000,000. Withdrawals: e-Transfer CAD 10,000 per transaction, EFT CAD 50,000 per transaction, CAD 50,000 a week combined across EFT and e-Transfer, wire CAD 1,000,000. Daily trading cap CAD 5,000,000, 20 open limit orders. Net buy cap of CAD 30,000 a year on restricted coins in most provinces (BTC, ETH, LTC, BCH and USDC are exempt).
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.
How Do You Fund And Cash Out Newton And Uphold In Canada?
Newton: CAD Deposits
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Interac e-Transfer
Free
Start trading with as little as CAD 50
CAD 10,000 per 'Request Funds' transaction, CAD 70,000 weekly
in minutes
Wire transfer
Free from CAD 10,000, CAD 35 between CAD 5,000 and CAD 10,000
Not published
CAD 1,000,000
Not published
Pre-authorized debit (EFT)
Free
Not published
Not published
Not published
Newton: CAD Withdrawals
Method
Fee
Minimum
Maximum
Speed
Interac e-Transfer
Free
Not published
CAD 10,000 per transaction, CAD 50,000 weekly
fastest option per Newton
EFT to bank account
Free
Not published
CAD 50,000 per transaction
Not published
Wire transfer
Not stated for withdrawals
Not published
CAD 1,000,000
Not published
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
Account verification is required before any deposit. Crypto withdrawals to an external address need the address saved in your address book first. 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.
What Does It Actually Cost To Buy On Newton?
Worked Cost, Buy Only And Buy Plus Sell (Round Trip)
Amount
Newton Buy
Newton Round Trip
CAD 100
$1.00 to $1.60
$2.00 to $3.20
CAD 500
$5.00 to $8.00
$10.00 to $16.00
CAD 1,000
$10.00 to $16.00
$20.00 to $32.00
CAD 10,000
$100.00 to $160.00
$200.00 to $320.00
Newton: Standard Silver-tier spread fee shown at trade time: 1.00% to 1.15% on BTC, ETH and USDC, up to 1.60% on other assets, checked 2026-10-03 on Newton's fee article. Signature status lowers it, to 0.05% at CAD 5M of trailing 365-day volume. Neither publishes a maker and taker schedule because there is no order book: the spread is the fee. If cost matters most, NDAX (flat 0.20%) or Kraken Pro are cheaper places to buy in Canada. Ranges reflect each platform’s published band, not a single quote. Bank and network fees are not included.
What Do Newton And Uphold Offer Beyond Buying And Selling?
Staking: Up to 4.5% APY shown for ETH, SOL and ADA (estimates, not guaranteed). Newton keeps 30% of ETH rewards plus execution income, 27% of SOL rewards plus MEV rewards, and 7.5% of ADA rewards. Staked assets are locked.
Recurring buys: Set an amount, a coin and a frequency for automatic purchases.
Referral program: A friend gets a CAD 20 bonus after signing up and trading CAD 100 within 90 days; the referrer earns up to CAD 100 depending on activity.
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.
What Happens To Your Money If Newton Or Uphold Fails?
Newton: As a CIRO investment dealer member since March 2026, cash left in a Newton account is covered by CIPF, but Newton states crypto is not protected by CIPF, CDIC or any investor protection scheme. Over 80% of assets are kept offline and Newton says it carries crypto insurance, but it gives no amount and the custodian is not named on the current page, and no proof of reserves is published. An exchange hack or insolvency would leave you relying on that insurance and on the dealer's regulatory capital rules for the portion you cannot withdraw in time.
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.
How Are Newton And Uphold Treated For Tax In Canada?
Newton: Selling, swapping one coin for another and staking rewards are dispositions or income; buying and withdrawing to your own wallet are not. Newton exports your history as a Koinly-formatted CSV and links directly to Koinly; there is no CRA-ready report from Newton.
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.
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, Newton Or Uphold?
Choose Newton If
You want a Canadian-only CIRO dealer with free Interac and EFT funding and a simple app.
You trade small amounts of the majors and prefer one visible price over order book mechanics.
You trade over CAD 1M a year and can reach Signature tiers that cut the fee below 1%.
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.
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 Should Uphold Users Use Instead?
Newton: An Available Option
Newton is the available side of this pairing, and it is best for a cleaner app and a CIRO-supervised dealer.
Newton: key facts
Item
Newton
Trading Cost
No commission. Spread of 1.00% to 1.15% on BTC, ETH and USDC, 1.25% to 1.45% on LTC, SOL and XLM, 1.50% to 1.60% on everything else. Signature status can cut it as low as 0.05%.
CAD Funding
Free: Interac e-Transfer, wire and EFT
Coins
59 CAD pairs
Registration
CIRO investment dealer member since March 18, 2026; on the CSA list; FINTRAC MSB
Sign-Up Offer
Referral: friend gets CAD 20 after trading CAD 100 within 90 days
Newton takes free Interac e-Transfer, wire and pre-authorized debit (EFT) deposits. Interac requests top out at CAD 10,000 per transaction and CAD 70,000 per week. Withdrawals carry no stated fee: Interac goes out at up to CAD 10,000 per transaction and CAD 50,000 per week, and wires go up to CAD 1,000,000.
Newton Crypto Ltd. became a CIRO investment dealer member on March 18, 2026, and it also sits on the CSA list (original decision August 15, 2022). It is a FINTRAC-registered money services business too. Newton says over 80% of assets are stored offline in cold storage and that it maintains crypto asset insurance. It is a CIPF member for cash, but crypto is not protected by CIPF.
Newton's interface remains one of the cleanest in Canadian crypto: modern, casual in tone, and simple enough that a first-time buyer can fund via Interac and place a trade within minutes. The iOS app is rated 4.62 across 24,473 Canadian App Store ratings, and Google Play shows 4.3 from 8.14K reviews.
Newton: Pros And Cons
Pros
No trading commission, with the cost built into the price
Free Interac, wire and EFT funding
CIRO investment dealer member since March 2026
Signature program can cut fees as low as 0.05% for heavy traders
Staking shown up to 4.5% APY (estimate)
Cons
A spread of 1.00% to 1.60% is not cheap for active traders
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
On the verified facts, Newton is a workable replacement for most Canadians who used Uphold, within the limits laid out above. It does not copy everything Uphold offered, so check your own use case before you move money. The comparison table at the top of this page lays out status, fees and coins side by side.
What Changed For Newton And Uphold 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.
: The CSA issued an amended decision for Newton Crypto Ltd. (an earlier one followed on March 11).
: Newton was admitted to CIRO membership as an investment dealer.
: 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.
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.
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 Newton, Wealthsimple Crypto.
Is Newton Available To Canadians?
Yes. Newton: CIRO investment dealer member since March 18, 2026; on the CSA list; FINTRAC MSB.
Do Newton And Uphold Have Limit Orders?
Newton: Yes, market and limit orders, up to 20 open limit orders. Uphold: Not applicable.
Which Coins Can You Buy On Newton And Uphold?
Newton: 59 CAD pairs Uphold: 200+ globally, none for Canadians
Is The Spread The Fee On Newton And Uphold?
Newton: Yes, the spread fee of 1.00% to 1.60% is the only trading cost and is shown before you confirm. Uphold: No longer applicable.
Does CIPF Cover My Crypto On Newton Or Uphold?
Newton: Newton is a CIPF member for cash, but CIPF never covers crypto. Uphold: CIPF never covers crypto, and this platform no longer serves Canadians.
Are Newton And Uphold Available In Every Province?
Newton: All provinces and territories; net buy caps of CAD 30,000 on restricted coins outside AB, BC, MB, SK and QC. Uphold: No longer available in any province.
Do Interac Deposits Work On Weekends On Newton And Uphold?
Newton: Not published; Newton says e-Transfer funds in minutes. Uphold: No longer applicable.
What Is The Minimum Buy On Newton And Uphold?
Newton: Newton says you can start trading with as little as CAD 50. Uphold: No longer applicable.
Can A Business Use Newton Or Uphold?
Newton: Yes, corporations, non-profits and not-for-profits can open a corporate account through an onboarding package. Uphold: 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.