Two kinds of service, two kinds of checks. A platform (a company holding your assets) should be registered with Canadian securities regulators. A protocol (smart contracts you use from your own wallet) has no registration, so the checks are technical: who controls it, how it has been tested, and how it behaves under stress.
4 critical items still open. Stop until they are done.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a crypto platform and a DeFi protocol?
A platform is a company that holds your assets and should be registered with Canadian securities regulators. A protocol is software on a blockchain that you use from your own wallet; no one registers it, and you carry the risk.
Does an audit mean a protocol is safe?
No. Audits review code at a point in time. Later upgrades, integrations, economic attacks and key compromises can still cause losses.
Where do I check a platform's registration?
On the CSA's list of authorized crypto platforms, its crypto undertakings list, and the Are They Registered search.
Sources and dates
- Crypto platforms authorized to do business with Canadians — Canadian Securities Administratorsreference
Page date 2026-09-18 · checked 2026-10-30. The official list of authorized platforms, with links to each decision. - Crypto undertakings (pre-registration undertakings) — Canadian Securities Administratorsreference
Page date 2026-07-17 · checked 2026-10-30. Platforms operating under a pre-registration undertaking. - Are they registered? (National Registration Search) — Canadian Securities Administratorsreference
Page date 2026-01-13 · checked 2026-10-30. Check registration, disciplinary history and investor alerts. - Introduction to smart contracts — ethereum.orgreference
No date shown on page · checked 2026-10-31. What a smart contract is and how it executes. - Oracles — ethereum.orgreference
No date shown on page · checked 2026-10-31. How off-chain data reaches smart contracts, and oracle risks.
Education only. Nothing on this page is financial, investment, tax or legal advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell, stake, lend or borrow any crypto-asset. Crypto-assets can lose some or all of their value and are not covered by CDIC. Canadian rules change: check the dated sources above and talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Full disclaimer.