OSC Survey Results on Canadian Awareness and Ownership of Crypto Assets

OSC

July 28, 2026

For Immediate Release

TORONTO – The Ontario Securities Commission today published the results of a survey that shows awareness and ownership of crypto assets among Canadians are on the rise. The survey of 2,360 Canadians found that 59 per cent are aware of crypto assets, while ownership has increased to 25 per cent. “Crypto markets continue to evolve, and Canadians are participating in them more than ever before," said Naizam Kanji, Executive Vice President, Strategic Regulation at the OSC. “By identifying emerging trends and behaviours with our research, we can look around corners, anticipate potential opportunities and risks, and ensure our regulatory approach supports investor protection while fostering fair and efficient markets.” The survey found an encouraging sign that crypto owners are becoming more informed about investor protection measures. Half of crypto owners reported checking whether their crypto asset trading platform is registered before using it, up from 38 per cent in 2023. However, at the same time, knowledge of crypto assets remains limited; many investors had some misunderstanding around regulation, insurance protections and transaction capabilities. The research also examined emerging forms of digital assets. Awareness and ownership of stablecoins and tokenized real-world assets remain relatively low, but interest is high among those who are familiar with these products. The survey found that the majority of Canadians now believe that crypto assets will play a key role in the future of Canada's financial system. Among Canadians aware of crypto assets, 38 per cent indicated they were highly likely to purchase crypto assets in the future, up 18 percentage points from 2023. The OSC has resources to help investors understand crypto assets and how they work on GetSmarterAboutMoney.ca. To stay on top of the latest information and resources, sign up for the OSC’s popular e-newsletter, Investor News . The mandate of the OSC is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, to foster fair, efficient and competitive capital markets and confidence in the capital markets, to foster capital formation, and to contribute to the stability of the financial system and the reduction of systemic risk. Investors are urged to check the registration of any persons or company offering an investment opportunity and to review the OSC investor materials available at www.osc.ca . – 30 –

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