Wealthsimple Crypto: a regulated, beginner-friendly Canadian crypto platform inside the Wealthsimple ecosystem, with strong custody but a high trading spread.? My 2026 review

Wealthsimple Crypto is offered by Wealthsimple, a Canadian firm, with the crypto service run through a FINTRAC-registered entity inside a group whose investment arm is a CIRO member. Wealthsimple was among the first regulated crypto platforms in Canada, and it operates under the Canadian Securities Administrators crypto trading platform framework rather than from offshore. On custody, client crypto is held largely in cold storage with more than $75M in insurance coverage on custodied assets, one of the stronger protection setups among Canadian platforms. That said, a crypto platform is not covered by CIPF in the way a CIRO investment account is, and you cannot hold crypto inside a TFSA or RRSP. Gains on crypto are generally taxable and must be declared to the CRA yourself. This is not tax advice.

Pricing is where Wealthsimple Crypto asks you to pay for the convenience. The trading spread is tiered by plan: about 2% on Core, 1% on Premium and 0.5% on Generation, built into the price you buy and sell at rather than shown as a separate commission. A currency conversion of roughly 1.5% applies to activity outside Canadian dollars.

Deposits and withdrawals in Canadian dollars are free and there is no account minimum, so getting money in and out is cheap. Staking is the other line to watch: the platform takes up to 30% of staking rewards on Core and Premium, and 15% on Generation. For a small buy-and-hold position the friction is low, but an active buyer on the Core plan will feel the 2% spread.

Wealthsimple Crypto lists more than 100 cryptocurrencies, from Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana through to Cardano, Polkadot and a couple of stablecoins. Staking is available on Ethereum, Solana, Cardano and Polkadot, so you can earn a yield on several major proof-of-stake assets, subject to the platform's cut.

What it does not offer is the wider crypto toolkit. There is no DeFi access, no lending and no derivatives, and the whole thing is designed as a simple spot platform rather than a trading venue. It fits an investor who wants regulated, no-fuss exposure inside a familiar app, not an active trader chasing advanced products.

Wealthsimple Crypto is a strong fit for a Canadian who values regulation, custody and a clean app over rock-bottom cost. FINTRAC registration, a CIRO-member group, cold storage with more than $75M in insurance, free CAD rails and a bilingual interface make it one of the more reassuring on-ramps in the country.

The reservation is price. A roughly 2% spread on the Core plan and staking fees of up to 30% are high next to the cheapest venues, and the Trustpilot reputation is weak. Our 6.2/10 reflects that balance: excellent regulatory and security footing, held back by an expensive trading spread. Cost-sensitive buyers can move to the Premium or Generation plan to cut the spread, or compare against a lower-spread Canadian exchange.