Newton Review For Canadians: What Is Newton And Is It Legit?

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What Is Newton Exchange?

Newton is a Canadian cryptocurrency exchange, and I decided to sign up to see if it's worth using. As someone who has tested 61 exchanges, I was curious how it stacks up against Coinbase and the rest of the best crypto exchanges in Canada. Here's my detailed Newton review.

Named after Sir Isaac Newton, Newton built its name as Canada's first "no-fee" cryptocurrency exchange. The pitch was simple: no trading commission, no CAD funding fees, and Newton even covers some of the network fee when you withdraw crypto. That model is still there, but the honest picture in 2026 is that you pay through the spread, so "no-fee" means no commission, not free trading.

Newton is a broker rather than an order-book exchange. When you buy, you buy from Newton at its price. That is what makes it easy to use and also what hides the cost inside the quote.

The exchange offers a wide selection of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Stellar Lumens, Bitcoin Cash, Dogecoin, USDC, Chainlink, Aave, Axie Infinity, Yearn.Finance, BAT, Uniswap, Compound, SushiSwap, Curve, Synthetix and Polkadot, plus Solana, XRP, Cardano and more. Newton added over 30 new coins in 2023 alone and has kept expanding since.

Is Newton Legit And Regulated In Canada?

Yes. Newton is one of the more heavily regulated places a Canadian can buy crypto. Newton Crypto Ltd. is on the CSA list of authorized platforms (decision of August 15, 2022, with amended decisions on March 8, 2024, March 12, 2025, March 11, 2026 and March 25, 2026), it is not on the CSA banned list, and CIRO's notice says it was admitted to membership as an investment dealer effective March 18, 2026. Its head office is at 1 Toronto Street, Toronto. It also holds a FINTRAC money services business registration that runs to January 31, 2029.

The CIRO step matters. CIRO membership means Newton answers to the same self-regulatory body as Canadian brokerages. The important limit: Newton is a CIPF member for cash, but crypto is not protected by CIPF. If you are asking whether Newton is legal in Canada, it is. If you are asking whether your coins are insured like a bank deposit, they are not.

How Much Does Newton Cost In Fees And Spreads?

Newton doesn't charge for fiat deposits and withdrawals, and it states no separate trading commission. What you pay is the spread, and it depends on the coin. Newton publishes three tiers, and only Signature status brings the cost down further.

• Newton Tier 3, All Other Coins (up to)1.60%
• Newton Tier 2, LTC SOL XLM (up to)1.45%
• Newton Tier 1, BTC ETH USDC (up to)1.15%
• NDAX Flat Fee, For Comparison0.20%

Those dollar figures are simple arithmetic on Newton's published spread ranges. The Signature program lowers fees to as low as 0.05% by trailing 365-day volume, and Gold status starts at CAD 100,000 and pays from 1%. For most people reading this, you will pay the standard spread.

Newton doesn't charge for fiat deposits and withdrawals. Crypto withdrawals have three lanes: Fast costs CAD 10 plus the network fee, Standard costs only the network fee, and the Free lane carries no fees. On your first withdrawal each day, Newton covers up to CAD 5 of gas fees.

How Does Newton Make Money?

Newton generates revenue through the spread, the difference between the buy and sell price of cryptocurrencies. Since Newton acts as a broker rather than a traditional exchange, users buy directly from and sell directly to Newton itself, rather than trading with other users. This difference in pricing, or the spread, is how Newton earns money.

A spread in trading refers to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay (bid price) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept (ask price). This difference serves as the exchange's profit. To their credit, Newton is transparent about its spreads, which are published on its website. The spread varies with the liquidity and trading volume of a coin: the higher the liquidity, the smaller the spread.

What Did My Bitcoin Test On Newton Cost?

That test was from my earlier round of testing. Newton's currently published Bitcoin spread is 1.00% to 1.15%, so budget a little more than the 0.90% I measured then.

How Do You Sign Up And Verify On Newton?

What you need to open an account with Newton:

• Be 18 or older
• A government-issued ID
• Your face captured by their software

Registering on Newton is a simple process. First, enter your email address and a password. Confirm your email and then you'll be asked to set up two-factor authentication. It's good that Newton forces you to do this because it helps keep your account secure. Unfortunately, not enough people take advantage of 2FA.

Next, you'll fill out more personal details such as name and date of birth, then provide images of a government-issued ID. Then you'll move your head to have your face captured by their software. There's no selfie needed. We were automatically verified and could start depositing funds to Newton right away. Usually, we would need to upload additional documents such as proof of address, so verifying on Newton was a breeze.

How Do Deposits And Withdrawals Work On Newton?

Newton takes Canadian dollars only. You can fund your account by Interac e-Transfer, pre-authorized debit (EFT), wire transfer, or crypto, and all three CAD methods are free. You can also link your bank account directly, which means faster deposits and less fraud risk.

To deposit on desktop, use the right-hand sidebar and select "add funds", then choose Interac, wire transfer or crypto. If using Interac, enter the amount, verify that your email address is correct, and click "Send Fund Request." You'll receive an email from Newton displaying your bank's logo. Clicking on it redirects you to your online banking, where the details are filled in automatically. Confirm the transfer and you're done.

Our deposit via Interac e-Transfer took about 35 minutes to arrive in our Newton account. Withdrawals depend on the network, and withdrawing Bitcoin to a private wallet took only a few minutes. We received our bitcoin within five minutes.

Once your funds are in, select the coin you want to buy from your dashboard and you'll be sent to the trading screen to submit a limit order. If you want a market order, use the arrows icon in the sidebar, enter the amount and hit review trade.

Which Coins Can You Buy On Newton?

Newton's own help article lists 59 CAD pairs, plus an ETH/BTC swap pair. The article warns that pairs can be disabled, and it may lag delistings, so check the app before you plan a purchase around a smaller coin.

It does not list some coins older articles mentioned, such as Pax Gold, Enjin, QCAD, Dai or MakerDAO. If you need a bigger menu, Kraken and Coinbase carry far more.

Does Newton Offer Staking Or Other Services?

Yes, a limited version. Newton shows staking estimates of up to 4.5% APY on SOL, up to 2.2% on ADA and up to 1.5% on ETH, and says they are estimates, not guarantees. There is no margin trading, no futures and no derivatives for Canadians. Recurring buys and limit orders are supported, which covers dollar-cost averaging.

Newton also runs a referral program: a friend gets a CAD 20 welcome bonus after signing up and trading CAD 100 within 90 days, and the referrer's reward goes up to CAD 100.

Oleg's takeI have used both Newton staking and recurring buys, and both worked as described. Newton is legit and easy to use, and it connects to Koinly, which makes tax time much simpler.

Is Newton Safe To Use?

Is Newton safe for Canadians to use? Newton is regulated in Canada, which is reassuring. Newton states that it maintains crypto asset insurance and that over 80% of assets are stored offline in cold storage. It also lets customers link their bank accounts directly, reducing the risk of fraud, and it enforces two-factor authentication on all accounts.

Earlier I criticised Newton for not disclosing how much it keeps in cold storage. It now publishes the "over 80%" figure, which fixes most of that complaint. It still does not publish an insurance dollar amount that I could find, and your crypto is not covered by CIPF. For the safest self-custody, move coins you are not trading to a private wallet.

What Is The Newton App And Platform Like?

Newton's app is beginner-friendly and the overall design is clean and modern, with a casual, friendly tone that sets it apart from overly formal crypto platforms. The app holds 4.62 on the Apple App Store from 24,473 Canadian ratings, and 4.3 on Google Play from 8.14K reviews (Play Store counts are global).

Newton boasts a clean interface and, interestingly, more advanced charting and order options than you'd typically find on a beginner-friendly exchange. Once you log in, the platform feels a bit barebones, with limited features visible on the dashboard. While this simplicity may appeal to beginners, more experienced users might find it lacking in depth. The app mirrors the desktop experience almost identically, with a layout optimized for mobile.

The menu in the top-right corner takes you to support, account settings, your two-factor authentication method, and bank connection. While Newton is designed for Canadian residents, Canadians can still use the trading platform while abroad.

How Good Is Newton Customer Support?

Newton provides a knowledge base on its website to address common questions. Clicking the "Get Help" button opens a virtual assistant chat box, which can be frustrating if you're trying to reach a person. To submit a support ticket, go to the knowledge center and click the "Submit a Request" button at the top. When we tested their responsiveness, we were pleasantly surprised to receive a reply within just four hours, a commendable response time. There is still no live chat with a person, which I count against it.

Does Newton Freeze Accounts Or Track Your Crypto?

It is not common for Newton users to have their accounts frozen. However, Newton has the power to do so if they suspect suspicious activity on your account. Any crypto exchange can freeze an account if it sees suspicious behaviour such as trading larger amounts, or more frequently, than usual. If they suspect someone else is using your account, they may freeze it until you contact them to reactivate it. You may have to prove you were the one making the trades.

Newton, and any crypto exchange, can also see where you have received and sent crypto. Trades are recorded on the blockchain for anyone to see, including time, date, amount and both wallet addresses. Before trading on an exchange you must provide identity documents, so it is not hard to link a wallet to a person. This is how the Canadian government was able to freeze accounts connected to the Freedom Convoy protests in 2022.

On taxes, the CRA treats crypto as a commodity, so each sale or swap can be a taxable event. Keep your own transaction records from Newton and do not rely on the exchange to file for you. See my free Canada crypto tax calculator.

What Changed For Newton In October 2026?

• Mar 18, 2026: CIRO admitted Newton Crypto Ltd. as an investment dealer member.
• Mar 25, 2026: The CSA published a second amended decision for Newton (the first was March 11, 2026).
• Jul 30, 2026: The FINTRAC registration of a separate company, Newton OTC Inc., ceased. Newton Crypto Ltd. is unaffected and registered to 2029.

What Are Newton's Pros And Cons?

What Are The Best Newton Alternatives?

There are many Canadian crypto exchanges. If Newton isn't for you, I'd start with the ones below, in the order I rank them.

NDAX has the lowest trading fee here, a flat 0.20% with staking and a wide coin list. Head-to-head pages: Newton vs Coinbase.

What Scams Target Newton Users?

Leaving your digital assets on a crypto exchange exposes them to potential theft. Even well-known platforms have been targeted by hackers. To protect your assets, move your crypto to a private wallet. For guidance, see the best wallets for Canadians.

Crypto exchange customers are also at risk of phishing. Fraudulent emails often mimic legitimate messages from exchanges. Scammers may claim there's an issue with your account and send a link to a fake website or a download that infects your computer and steals your passwords. Always verify the official website URL and email address before logging in, and avoid clicking links from unrecognized sources.

Fake social media accounts are another common scam. Newton has several impersonators on platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Scammers promote fake airdrops, encouraging you to connect your wallet to claim free coins, only to steal your crypto. Fake support accounts may also ask for sensitive information. Always check the official account, which is marked with a blue checkmark.

A fake Newton account does not have the blue check, as seen below.

Is Newton Worth It For Canadians In 2026?

My updated view: the CIRO membership makes Newton safer on paper than it was, and the interface is still a pleasure. The cost is the sticking point. A 1% spread on Bitcoin is fine for an occasional buy and expensive for a frequent trader. For beginners buying crypto in Canada who want a regulated, easy app, Newton is a good choice. You can open a Newton account here. Not sure which exchange fits you? Take the exchange quiz.

You can also check our video:

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Newton Exchange?

Newton is a Toronto-based Canadian crypto exchange and broker run by Newton Crypto Ltd. You buy and sell directly with Newton at its quoted price, fund your account free in CAD, and pay through a spread of 1.00% to 1.60% on standard accounts.

Is Newton Legal In Canada, Including Ontario?

Yes. Newton Crypto Ltd. is on the CSA list of authorized crypto platforms, is not on the banned list, and has been a CIRO investment dealer member since March 18, 2026. It also holds a FINTRAC MSB registration.

Newton is based in Toronto. I did not find any province-specific restriction on its Canadian service.

Is Newton Trustworthy And Safe To Use?

Newton is regulated, enforces two-factor authentication and says over 80% of assets are kept offline in cold storage. Cash is covered by CIPF but crypto is not, so move coins you are not trading to a private wallet.

Can I Use Newton In Canada?

Yes, it is built for Canadian residents. You need to be 18 or older, provide government ID and have your face captured. Newton takes CAD only, and you can keep using it while travelling abroad.

Does Newton Crypto Report To The CRA?

I could not confirm what Newton reports to the CRA, so I will not guess. What I can say is that the CRA treats crypto as a commodity and each sale or swap can be taxable, so keep your own transaction history from Newton. Use my free tax calculator to work out the numbers.

What Are Newton's Fees?

Newton states no separate trading commission and free CAD deposits. The cost is a spread: 1.00% to 1.15% on BTC, ETH and USDC, 1.25% to 1.45% on LTC, SOL and XLM, and 1.50% to 1.60% on everything else. The Signature program can lower fees to as low as 0.05%.

How Many Coins Does Newton Have?

Newton's help centre lists 59 CAD pairs plus an ETH/BTC swap pair. Pairs can be disabled, so check the app before buying a smaller coin.

What Are The Best Newton Alternatives?

In my ranking Coinbase scores 9.8, Wealthsimple Crypto 8.4 and Newton 7.9. Coinbase has the larger coin list and Wealthsimple suits people already investing there. Newton wins if you want a simple regulated app focused on altcoins in CAD.

For Bitcoin only, sent to your own wallet, look at Bull Bitcoin (8.0). For a flat 0.20% fee, NDAX (7.8). Kraken (9.2) has the widest list of registered coins.

How Do I Withdraw From Newton To A Canadian Bank Account?

Newton states zero withdrawal fees. The limits are CAD 10,000 per Interac e-Transfer and CAD 50,000 per week combined for EFT and e-Transfer, CAD 50,000 per EFT and up to CAD 1,000,000 per wire. Sending crypto out is separate: the Fast lane costs CAD 10 plus the network fee, Standard is network fee only and Free has no fee.