Canadians’ awareness and ownership of crypto assets are increasing while also boosting their knowledge of investor protection measures, according to the “Crypto Asset Survey 2025” published by the Ontario Securities Commission.
Fifty-nine percent of Canadians reported that they were aware of crypto assets; among these, 38 percent said they were highly likely to acquire such assets in the future. This represents an increase of 18 percentage points compared to 2023. Thirty-four percent of Canadians reported being aware of stablecoins, and 24 percent said they knew of real-world asset tokens; 74 percent of those who were aware of RWA tokens indicated that they would consider buying them if institutions offered them.
Twenty-five of Canadians percent indicated that they owned crypto assets, with 74 percent of current crypto owners reporting that they used these assets. Eighty-nine percent of stablecoin owners utilized their crypto, while 20 percent applied them to international money transfers.
Forty-three percent of Canadians indicated that they saw crypto assets as key to Canada’s financial system; 52 percent believed that such assets would contribute significantly to the country’s financial ecosystem in the future.
However, Canadians often misunderstood the regulation, insurance, and transaction capabilities of crypto assets, even If they grasped crypto’s basic characteristics. Twenty-two percent sought crypto advice from financial advisors, and 39 percent of investors with financial advisors were recommended to earmark a portion of their portfolio to crypto assets, excluding crypto investment funds.
Canadians investing in crypto cited portfolio diversification and long-term confidence in technology as reasons. Fifty-nine percent use centralized trading platforms to purchase crypto; just 18 percent used decentralized exchanges.
The report noted that 50 percent of crypto owners check the registrations of their crypto asset trading platforms before using them.
“Crypto markets continue to evolve, and Canadians are participating in them more than ever before. 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”, said Naizam Kanji, OSC’s executive vice president of strategic regulation, in a statement.
The OSC surveyed 2,360 Canadians. Fieldwork was conducted between December 18, 2025 and January 22, 2026.