At HowToBuyBitcoin101.com, our mission is to provide clear, trustworthy, math-grounded guides for Canadians navigating the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
1. How We Evaluate Canadian Crypto Platforms
Every exchange, broker, and hardware wallet reviewed on this site undergoes rigorous evaluation across five core criteria:
- Regulatory Compliance & Security: We verify FINTRAC Money Services Business (MSB) registration numbers and Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) restricted dealer registrations.
- True Cost Calculation: We do not rely on marketed "zero-fee" claims. We measure live bid-ask spreads, deposit/withdrawal fees, and fiat banking rail costs.
- Canadian Banking Rails: Native support for free, instant Interac e-Transfer deposits and withdrawals is mandatory for top recommendations.
- Self-Custody Support: We prioritize platforms that allow users to withdraw Bitcoin and crypto directly to external cold storage hardware wallets.
- Customer Support & Longevity: Human customer service availability and verifiable operational track records.
2. Independence & Compensation
- Zero Paid Rankings: No platform can pay to alter review verdicts or jump higher in our comparison tables.
- Objective Crossover Math: If Platform A is cheaper below $500 and Platform B is cheaper above $500, we explicitly state the dollar threshold so you can make the right decision for your trade size.
- Affiliate Disclosure: We disclose all referral bonus partnerships transparently. For more information, read our How We Make Money disclosure.