Canadian securities regulators publish additional guidance for entities facilitating the trading of crypto assets

CSA

Montreal - The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published Staff Notice 21-327 (pdf - 124 KB)This link will open in a new windowUpdated on January 16, 2020CSA Staff Notice 21-327 relating to the Application of Securities Legislation to Entities Facilitating the Trading of Crypto Assets. Guidance on the Application of Securities Legislation to Entities Facilitating the Trading of Crypto Assets, to help these entities to determine situations where securities legislation may or may not apply.

“The evolving landscape of the industry prompts us to clarify our regulatory framework so as to better support fintech businesses seeking to offer innovative products, services and applications in Canada,” said Louis Morisset, CSA Chair and President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers. “As we continue to consider the comments and responses to the consultation we launched last year, the staff notice published today will help platform operators to determine whether their activities are subject to securities legislation.”

The notice describes situations where securities legislation will and will not apply. For example, securities legislation may apply to platforms that facilitate the buying and selling of crypto assets that are commodities, because the user’s contractual right to the crypto asset may itself constitute a derivative, a security or both.

The relevant determination will depend on the facts and circumstances, including the obligations and intention to provide immediate delivery of the crypto asset. The notice provides guidance on what constitutes immediate delivery, together with a detailed example of a situation where securities legislation does not apply.

The CSA and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) continue to review the comments and responses to Joint CSA/IIROC Consultation Paper 21-402 Proposed Framework for Crypto-Asset Trading Platforms. We anticipate publishing a summary of comments and responses along with guidance on the regulatory framework applicable to crypto-asset trading platforms that are subject to securities legislation later this year.

CSA Staff Notice 21-327 Guidance on the Application of Securities Legislation to Entities Facilitating the Trading of Crypto Assets is available on jurisdictions’ websites This link will open in a new window.

The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, co- ordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

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For more information:

CSA member name

Point of contact

Phone number

Autorité des marchés financiers

Sylvain Théberge

514-940-2176

Alberta Securities Commission

Hilary McMeekin

403-592-8186

British Columbia Securities Commission

Brian Kladko

604-899-6713

Financial and Consumer Affairs, Authority of Saskatchewan

Shannon McMillan

306-798-4160

Financial and Consumer Services Commission, New Brunswick

Sara Wilson

506-643-7045

Government of Prince Edward Island, Superintendent of Securities

Steve Dowling

902-368-4550

Manitoba Securities Commission

Jason (Jay) Booth

204-945-1660

Nova Scotia Securities Commission

David Harrison

902-424-8586

Nunavut Securities Office

Jeff Mason

867-975-6591

Office of the Superintendent of Securities, Newfoundland and Labrador

Renée Dyer

709-729-4909

Office of the Superintendent of Securities, Northwest Territories

Tom Hall

867-767-9305

Office of the Yukon, Superintendent of Securities

Rhonda Horte

867-667-5466

Ontario Securities Commission

Kristen Rose

416-593-2336