Coinsquare: licences, security, fees and reviews
Centralized exchange
In short
- Legal entity
- Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. (CCML), subsidiary of Coinsquare Ltd.
- Fees
- Spot taker: Coinsquare Trade: no trading fee, spread included in the quote
- Risks and caveats
- CIPF protection covers cash, not crypto assets.
- Checked
- 5 November 2026
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Key facts
- Type
- Centralized exchange
- Exchange launched
- 2014
- Country of registration
- Canada
- Operator
- Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. (CCML), a subsidiary of Coinsquare Ltd.; part of Robinhood since WonderFi's acquisition (1 June 2026)
- Official site
- coinsquare.com/en-ca
Key facts checked on 5 November 2026 against official sources and regulator registers.
What is Coinsquare
Coinsquare is a Canadian crypto trading platform founded in 2014 and operated by Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. (CCML), a CIRO investment dealer member that also runs the Coinsquare ATS. It offers crypto buying, selling and staking for Canadians. Its homepage says Coinsquare is now part of Robinhood, which closed its acquisition of WonderFi, Coinsquare's owner, on 1 June 2026.
Good to know
- Robinhood closed its acquisition of WonderFi on 1 June 2026; Robinhood says Bitbuy and Coinsquare will become part of the Robinhood brand. ↗
- The Coinsquare homepage says Coinsquare is now part of Robinhood. ↗
- CIPF protects cash in client accounts within specified limits, but not crypto assets. ↗
- Coinsquare Trade has no trading fee; the cost is built into the quoted spread. ↗
- In 2020 Coinsquare admitted to the OSC that it reported about 840,000 wash trades between July 2018 and December 2019, over 90% of reported volume. ↗
Services
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot trading | 60+ cryptocurrencies and over 3,000 trading pairs |
| Staking / Earn | Staking with a fee taken from rewards, e.g. 25% for ETH |
| Fiat deposits | CAD via Interac e-Transfer or bank transfer |
| OTC | Wealth service with CIRO-registered Investment Representatives |
Licences and registrations
| Jurisdiction | Entity | Licence / registration | Regulator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. | Crypto asset trading platform decision of 11 October 2024 under the multi-jurisdiction exemptive relief process, with the Ontario Securities Commission as principal regulator; the decision says the firm operates under the business names Bitbuy and Coinsquare. | Ontario Securities Commission (principal regulator) |
| Canada | Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. | CIRO investment dealer member; also operates the Coinsquare ATS (company statement) | Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) |
Ontario Securities Commission (principal regulator)Security and audits
- Client crypto is held in trust in cold storage with Coinbase Custody Trust Company and BitGo Trust Company; Coinsquare says the custodians have $680M USD in combined insurance.
- A small portion may be held temporarily in a Fireblocks-licensed hot wallet for liquidity.
- Client assets are not lent, pledged or used in Coinsquare's business, according to the client agreement.
Security incidents
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 21 July 2020 | Market manipulation / delisting: An OSC panel approved a settlement in which Coinsquare admitted market manipulation by reporting about 840,000 wash trades (about 590,000 bitcoins, over 90% of reported volume) between 17 July 2018 and 4 December 2019, misleading statements and a reprisal against a whistleblower; the CEO and president resigned and paid $1 million and $900,000 in penalties. | osc.gov.on.ca |
Further incidents are reported by third parties (press, incident databases) but are not confirmed in the company’s own channels, so they are not listed here.
Fees
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Spot taker | Coinsquare Trade: no trading fee, spread included in the quote |
| Spot maker | Pro Trade: 0.50% maker and 0.50% taker (effective 1 December 2023) |
| Deposits | No fee for crypto deposits |
Who can use it
- Verification: Identity verification is required before an account is opened, under provincial securities rules, CIRO rules and Canada's anti-money-laundering law.
- Coinsquare is a Canadian platform; the client agreement is governed by Ontario and Canadian federal law.
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Coinsquare is founded. |
| 21 July 2020 | An OSC panel approves a settlement with Coinsquare over wash trading, misleading statements and a whistleblower reprisal. |
| 11 October 2024 | Ontario Securities Commission decision (as principal regulator) for Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. as a crypto asset trading platform. |
| 1 June 2026 | Robinhood completes its acquisition of WonderFi, owner of Coinsquare and Bitbuy. |
Risks and caveats
- CIPF protection covers cash, not crypto assets.
- The client agreement says Coinsquare is not responsible for losses from cyber-attacks, security breaches or service interruptions.
- Coinsquare admitted market manipulation through wash trading in a 2020 OSC settlement.
About the company
- Legal entity
- Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. (CCML), subsidiary of Coinsquare Ltd.
- Founded
- 2014
- Parent company
- WonderFi, acquired by Robinhood Markets, Inc. on 1 June 2026
Official links
- Website: www.coinsquare.com/en-ca
- Fees: www.coinsquare.com/en-ca/fees
- Licences: www.coinsquare.com/en-ca/regulation
- Terms of use: coinsquare.com/legal/ccml-caa
- Status: coinsquare.statuspage.io
Questions and answers
Is Coinsquare regulated?
Yes. Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. is a CIRO investment dealer member, and the Ontario Securities Commission, as principal regulator, issued a crypto asset trading platform decision for the firm on 11 October 2024.
Who owns Coinsquare?
Coinsquare belonged to WonderFi, which Robinhood acquired on 1 June 2026; Coinsquare's homepage says it is now part of Robinhood.
What are Coinsquare's fees?
Coinsquare Trade charges no trading fee and builds its cost into the spread; Pro Trade charges 0.50% maker and taker.
Is my crypto insured on Coinsquare?
Crypto is held with Coinbase Custody and BitGo, which Coinsquare says have $680M USD in combined insurance; CIPF covers only cash.
Was Coinsquare fined by the OSC?
In 2020 an OSC panel approved a settlement in which Coinsquare admitted wash trading; its CEO and president resigned and paid penalties.
Sources
- Coinsquare - Home
- Coinsquare - About
- Coinsquare - Regulation
- Coinsquare - Fees
- Coinsquare - CCML
- Coinsquare - Client account agreement
- Ontario Securities Commission - Decision: in the Matter of Coinsquare Capital Markets Ltd. (11 October 2024)
- Robinhood newsroom, 1 June 2026
- OSC news release, 21 July 2020
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