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Stablecoin Insights From FCAC’s 2025 National Survey

Stablecoins | Nov 19, 2025

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Stablecoins Present A New Literacy Challenge In Canada

On September 11 2025 the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAF) released national survey findings on how Canadians understand, use and experience stablecoins. The data arrives at a moment when digital money education is becoming essential and also November is Financial Literacy Month. The survey highlights where Canadians feel confident, where they lack clarity and where they face real harm when interacting with stablecoin products.

See:  Bank of England Sets New Rules for Systemic Stablecoins

The findings come from a national sample of 2,410 Canadian adults, including 386 stablecoin owners, surveyed between December 2023 and January 2024. Results reflect a cross-section of Canadians aged 18 and up.

Stablecoin Ownership In Canada Is Low but Increasingly Relevant

Only 4% of Canadian adults currently hold stablecoins and 5% have held them in the past, while 91% report no ownership at all.

Adoption is higher among adults aged 18 to 34, higher-income households and respondents identifying as Indigenous or Black.

These early patterns show that stablecoin use is limited today, but it is already interacting with diverse communities and younger Canadians who often engage with digital financial tools first. This confirms the need for accessible, plain language education resources that help people understand how stablecoins work and how to evaluate them responsibly.

Stablecoin Knowledge Gaps Show Why Education Matters

According to the survey, 21% of Canadians could correctly define a stablecoin.

The average score on a short knowledge test was 18%, even though respondents estimated their score at around 50%. This confidence gap reveals why more stablecoin education is a must.

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When people believe they understand a financial tool but lack the basics, they are more likely to overlook risks related to stability, issuer credibility, redemption processes or platform security.

Canadians Report High Rates of Negative Stablecoin Experiences

Among Canadians who currently or previously owned stablecoins, 49% reported at least one negative experience.

About 10% said they lost funds due to fraud, hacking or platform failure. Among those affected, reported losses ranged from under CA$10,000 to as high as CA$60,000.

The number of users may still be small, but the concentration of harm is significant. These findings show why stablecoin topics must be included in consumer education, and why fintech firms developing digital money products need strong transparency, redemption clarity and operational safeguards to build and maintain trust.

Canadians Want Clear Stablecoin Rules and Stronger Protections

The survey identifies protection and clarity as key drivers of trust. 41% of respondents support a distinct regulatory framework for stablecoins.

Among current owners, 63% want stablecoins regulated the same way as payment or money-transfer products.

See:  Quantum Safe Stablecoins Meet Real Time Finance Needs

Among people who avoid stablecoins, 44% say missing protections as their main reason.

These results show that Canadians are open to digital forms of money, but they want stablecoin issuers and platforms to offer clear information and credible safeguards before wider participation feels safe.

Why It Matters

For NCFA’s community of fintech leaders, innovators, investors and policymakers, this research helps strengthen the case for improving stablecoin literacy for both businesses and consumers who need to get ready for Canada’s evolving digital finance landscape. Strong literacy reduces confusion, builds confidence and supports responsible adoption.

Dig deeper, learn more:

A sampling of NCFA stablecoin coverage and how they fit into Canada’s wider fintech landscape.


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