Canada

A joint US–UK–Canada enforcement action called Operation Atlantic froze more than $12 million tied to crypto approval phishing schemes and identified over 20,000 victims. Authorities say the move disrupted cash-out channels and underscores growing cross-border cooperation on digital asset crime.

Bill C-25, introduced after repeated warnings from Canada’s Chief Electoral Officer, would prohibit crypto donations to federal election campaigns, mirroring recent UK action. The measure aims to protect election integrity but raises enforcement and industry compliance questions.

Deloitte will integrate a Canadian-dollar stablecoin into institutional payment rails in partnership with Stablecorp, as Ottawa advances new rules for fiat-backed digital assets. The move aims to bring regulated digital cash into bank and corporate payment flows.

Project Samara has successfully piloted real-time DLT bond settlement using central bank money in a live market environment, marking a milestone for Canada’s wholesale digital-asset infrastructure. The run demonstrates faster, final settlement and reduced counterparty risk for tokenized fixed-income transactions.

Scotiabank’s asset manager and 3iQ launched an actively managed Canadian ETF on March 4, 2026, offering exposure to Bitcoin, Ether, Solana and XRP at a 0.25% management fee.

Japanese exchange operator Coincheck agreed to acquire Canadian asset manager 3iQ in a $112 million all-stock transaction, gaining control of a leading manager of regulated crypto investment products. The move broadens Coincheck’s reach into institutional and fund-based crypto offerings across Japan and Canada.

Scotiabank says Ottawa’s push for a stablecoin framework is focused on modernizing the payments system and is unlikely to upend broader financial markets.

Canada’s 2025 federal budget gives the Bank of Canada authority to supervise stablecoin issuers and to implement related regulations. The move aims to strengthen consumer protection and financial stability while reducing regulatory uncertainty for issuers.