Draw will take place July 4th at 6pm at Yonge and Dundas Niko race car driver/showcase event.
Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: Fintech and Networking Events
4th VanFUNDING 2018 Vancouver Conference: CONVERGE – Building Bridges and Capital with Emerging Blockchain, Fintech and AI Innovations on November 29-30, 2018
NCFA Canada | Team VF2018 | Oct 5, 2018
VANCOUVER, Canada - (Oct 5, 2018): The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada announces VanFUNDING 2018: CONVERGE, the leading 4th Annual financial technology and capital conference held in downtown Vancouver.
The expanded #VF2018 offers world-class education, funding and networking opportunities delivered via keynotes, TEDx-style presentations, panels, workshops, executive round tables, investor pitching, meeting exchanges and mentoring. #VF2018 will cover Fintech, Blockchain, Crypto, Artificial Intelligence, Crowd and Distributed Finance, Regtech, Payments, Digital banking, Identify and Security, International Trade, Alternative Investing and Innovation Finance and more, from a diverse range of perspectives.
This year’s theme, CONVERGE, immerses participants and builds bridges across the most disruptive emerging technologies, capital market innovations and key stakeholders that are powering new global markets, new decentralized models, new forms of computer intelligence, new IP, new infrastructure and new alternative investment opportunities toward the vision of a Web 3.0.
#VF2018: CONVERGE will feature 1.5 days of immersive educational content, 50+ speakers, dragon’s den pitching program and a multitude of networking and partnership opportunities. New to the program this year is a unique storytelling style that attendees will experience culminating into the co-creation of the first fintech digital pop-up magazine issue.
“We are witnessing unprecedented change that is already affecting our daily lives - how we interact with financial services, generate digital wealth, invest, evaluate, consume, vote, and store, transfer and purchase anything of value.” Craig Asano, Founding CEO, NCFA
If you are a fintech innovator, an investment professional or a company actively raising capital, or a key decision maker/stakeholder in technology and digital finance, #VF2018 is a must attend event bringing together fintech leaders, investors and emerging innovators from start-ups to scale-ups to government regulatory bodies and policy makers who have a vision for the future of finance.
Join Us in Vancouver! VF2018 Links:
Want to get involved? Become a PARTNER
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Fundraising, Investing, Trading, Leadership, Competition, Human Capital, Health A Brokerage Race Beyond $0 Commissions On November 10, 2026, Webull Canada added Nasdaq Basic Canada, giving clients free real time Level 1 quote and trade data across Canadian listed equities. The feed provides best bid, best offer and last sale information for stocks listed on the TSX, TSX Venture, CSE and Cboe Canada. Nasdaq says its consolidated feed can reduce Level 1 market data costs by more than 60% compared with traditional Canadian data packages. Webull isn't first to give Canadian investors free real time information. The more interesting story is how quickly another paid feature is becoming part of the basic brokerage account. Wealthsimple helped normalize $0 trading in 2019, Questrade followed in 2025 and Webull dropped its own commissions in April 2026. With the headline trading fee largely gone, brokers now need other reasons for investors to move money and keep it on the platform. Who Led Canada’s Race To $0 Trading And Free Market Data Wealthsimple Trade launched nationally on March 13, 2019 with $0 commissions on Canadian and U.S. stocks and ETFs. Questrade removed commissions on listed stocks and ETFs ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding A Toronto Fintech Riskfuel Analytics Brings AI Pricing Into BBVA’s Global Markets Workflow On November 10, 2026, BBVA deployed Riskfuel Analytics' neural pricing technology inside the pre-trade structuring workflow for autocallable products on its ePricer platform. Riskfuel is a Toronto fintech founded in 2019 that builds AI models for derivatives pricing. BBVA is a global bank with a large corporate and investment banking business. The deployment puts Canadian built AI directly into the calculations used to design complex structured products at a major global bank. Riskfuel's model is trained on BBVA's own pricing engine and uses more than 4,000 market and product inputs. The company says the surrogate was tested against more than 100,000 trades and can evaluate thousands of candidate structures in under a minute. BBVA had already added AI generated investment ideas to ePricer in September. Riskfuel goes further into the workflow by speeding up the numerical pricing work while BBVA's own model remains the reference. How Riskfuel Speeds Up BBVA's Autocallable Pricing Autocallables can depend on volatility, interest rates, dividends, maturity, coupon levels and several barrier conditions. Autocallables are structured investments ...
Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Fundraising, Investing, Trading, Leadership, Competition, Human Capital, Health A Brokerage Race Beyond $0 Commissions On November 10, 2026, Webull Canada added Nasdaq Basic Canada, giving clients free real time Level 1 quote and trade data across Canadian listed equities. The feed provides best bid, best offer and last sale information for stocks listed on the TSX, TSX Venture, CSE and Cboe Canada. Nasdaq says its consolidated feed can reduce Level 1 market data costs by more than 60% compared with traditional Canadian data packages. Webull isn't first to give Canadian investors free real time information. The more interesting story is how quickly another paid feature is becoming part of the basic brokerage account. Wealthsimple helped normalize $0 trading in 2019, Questrade followed in 2025 and Webull dropped its own commissions in April 2026. With the headline trading fee largely gone, brokers now need other reasons for investors to move money and keep it on the platform. Who Led Canada’s Race To $0 Trading And Free Market Data Wealthsimple Trade launched nationally on March 13, 2019 with $0 commissions on Canadian and U.S. stocks and ETFs. Questrade removed commissions on listed stocks and ETFs ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding A Toronto Fintech Riskfuel Analytics Brings AI Pricing Into BBVA’s Global Markets Workflow On November 10, 2026, BBVA deployed Riskfuel Analytics' neural pricing technology inside the pre-trade structuring workflow for autocallable products on its ePricer platform. Riskfuel is a Toronto fintech founded in 2019 that builds AI models for derivatives pricing. BBVA is a global bank with a large corporate and investment banking business. The deployment puts Canadian built AI directly into the calculations used to design complex structured products at a major global bank. Riskfuel's model is trained on BBVA's own pricing engine and uses more than 4,000 market and product inputs. The company says the surrogate was tested against more than 100,000 trades and can evaluate thousands of candidate structures in under a minute. BBVA had already added AI generated investment ideas to ePricer in September. Riskfuel goes further into the workflow by speeding up the numerical pricing work while BBVA's own model remains the reference. How Riskfuel Speeds Up BBVA's Autocallable Pricing Autocallables can depend on volatility, interest rates, dividends, maturity, coupon levels and several barrier conditions. Autocallables are structured investments ...
Immersive 2-day Blockchain Developer Training Course (Nov 10-11, Toronto): Decentralized Application Development
Blockchain is here – so what next?
The Blockchain Developer Opportunity
If you are a software engineer interested in emerging high growth project opportunities, you’ll want to ensure your technical skills are polished and you have access to proper training and resources. There is a significant shortage of skilled Blockchain developers unable to meet the demand of emerging projects! NCFA is pleased to announce an inaugural educational partnership with the Blockchain Learning Group offering a special introductory rate to attend an immersive, 2-day Blockchain developer training course on decentralized application development to help fill the gap of skilled engineers while connecting graduates to project opportunities.
According to a recent 2018 PwC survey, 84% of 600 executive responders confirmed some involvement with Blockchain technology from proof of concepts to well capitalized international scale-ups and incumbents looking to modernize legacy systems. Distributed and immutable ledger applications are evolving rapidly with uses cases that improve trust and transparency for many business processes while distributing transactions to a decentralized network in a way that reduces costs and eliminates intermediaries. While crypto markets have exceeded $200 billion in just the last 2 years alone, the underlying technology is forecasted to disrupt almost every vertical with annual business value of more than US$3 trillion by 2030.
2 Day Immersive, Blockchain Developer Training Course: Decentralized Application Development
Day 1: 9:30am - 4:00pm on Saturday November 10, 2018
Day 2: 9:30am - 4:00pm on Sunday November 11, 2018
Location: 1240 Bay Street, Suite 501, Toronto, M5R 2A7 (NCFA Office)
Registration:
Special introductory rate of $1250 + HST
Limited capacity: 15 seats (small hands-on classroom)
20% Early bird discount for first 5 registrations
Pay in crypto? Email: info@ncfacanada.org
Lunch is provided both days. Bring your laptop!
Location subject to change (Downtown Toronto Area)
Refunds accepted by Oct 31. After Oct 31 credit can be requested.
Course Description:
An immersive, hands on 2-day course in Blockchain technology, with a focus on decentralized application (DApp) development. From the basics of Blockchain technology to in-depth explorations of use cases and smart contract development patterns. Additionally, a deep dive into utilizing the Ethereum platform to build powerful and impactful applications. The course is facilitated by a BLG trainer and utilizes a combination of theoretical and practical instruction and incorporates the following modules:
Day 1 Outline: Blockchain Fundamentals
Blockchain theory and fundamentals, followed by a detailed look under the hood and followed by a deep dive into Ethereum and smart contracts. Participants will view, and interact with, Blockchain networks and complete multiple smart contract exercises.
- Introductions
- History of Databases, WWW, Cryptography
- What is Blockchain
- How it Works
- Blockchain Types
- Ethereum Explained
- Use Cases and Implications
- Smart Contract Exercises
Day 2 Outline: Introduction to DApp Development
Exploration of state-of-the-art DApp development and Blockchain tools so that participants can effectively create, test, deploy, and interact with several solidity smart contracts from within a DApp. Participants will create their very own DApp, ranging from an ERC20 enabled wallet to a functional decentralized exchange.
- Introduction to DApps
- DApps Explained and Frameworks
- Development Architecture
- Security Considerations
- Deployment Techniques
- Account Management
- DApp Development
REGISTRATION OPTIONS:
1. Register NOW on Eventbrite
2. Pay Direct NOW and Save Platform Registration fees
[simpay id="48588"]
Who Should Attend? Developers!
- At least 1 year of programming or software development experience is required!
- Have experience or some exposure creating Web Apps? Fairly decent with Javascript? Interested in developing a solid foundation in Blockchain Technology in just two days?
If you answered yes to some or all of the above, then you are very likely a good fit for this course!
For those with minimal software development, specifically web experience, the resources attached below are recommended to review prior to the course start:
- Getting started with JavaScript: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/Getting_started_with_the_web/JavaScript_basics
- Object destructing: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/Destructuring_assignment#Object_destructuring
- Arrow functions: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Functions/Arrow_functions
- Getting to know the command line: https://www.davidbaumgold.com/tutorials/command-line/
- Introduction to ReactJS: https://reactjs.org/tutorial/tutorial.html
What you will get out of this course?
- A deep understanding of Blockchain technology, smart contracts and DApps, including hands-on experience in full stack decentralized application development
- A clear grasp of how Blockchain technology works, the key components and actors
- Ultimately, a truly immersive course that will give you the confidence to continue your Blockchain development journey!
Why you should attend this course?
- Blockchain technology is booming and here to stay with lucrative job and market development opportunities
- Disruptive cutting-edge technology with global impact
- Wide range of applications and use cases from commercial banking and financial services to real estate, healthcare, voting, government and travel.
- Canada is an early global leader and home to many notable Blockchain/crypto projects and groups paving the way for the next cohort
- Globally Tested Program and Top Trainer
- Global leader in Blockchain developer training on Ethereum with organizations like TMX Group, AGL Energy, Ontario government, and the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme
- Highly experienced trainer with real-world enterprise DApp project development experience for global clientele
- Finally a Blockchain development course designed for developers, by developers!
- Special Introductory Offer for NCFAs community (Save time & money)
- Small class size - limited capacity (15 seats max) – register today
- Intensive weekend course format (hands-on weekend training; no time off work)
- Great comparable value
What Students Who Took the Course are Saying
“I had been very interested in Blockchain and all its potential, but the technical aspect seemed daunting- out of my scope of understanding. In two short days. I was taught to think differently and came out with a whole new mindset due to the immersive hands-on learning experience Blockchain Learning Group provided. Their instructors broke down the content well enough so that I could easily digest it, but at the same time, maintained a level of challenge and moved through the material very quickly in order to cover a lot in the limited time. The instructors were patient, eager to help, and I felt very comfortable in their learning environment, and as a result, I took away a lot from the experience. With well-planned out course material and excellent instructors, I would recommend the course to anyone looking to dive in head first into the space."
“The Blockchain Learning Group delivered a workshop that was incredibly informative, and well-organized. They provided a structure that included both an understanding of Blockchain technology and decentralized applications, as well as an immersive method to building your own tokens and wallets. The instructors were extremely supportive throughout the entire process, and very eager to ensure that we received the most out of this opportunity. For both coders and non-coders, beginners and intermediates, this workshop is exceptionally beneficial to augment your understanding of DApps!
What Corporate Trainers are Saying
“Their approach to Blockchain education – combining developer training with business ideation and facilitating the actual Application Development - is by far the most immersive, responsive and action-oriented training program we have seen in the market. Their approach is underpinned by a deep understanding of how to efficiently leverage Blockchain for business coupled with a seamless training regimen. Our developers who participated in the education program were amazed at how much practical knowledge they acquired in such a short period of time!”
"Wow. Just wow. Before the training, our students had a rudimentary understanding of Blockchain technologies. Only a few weeks later they are building multiple decentralized applications and becoming young thought leaders in such a short period of time! Adam and the team were phenomenal facilitators. Not only were they incredibly knowledgeable, but they knew how to deliver the content to different audiences who might have had various levels of coding experience and Blockchain understanding. How they were able to provide a personalized experience to a group of young people was very impressive.”
Limited Capacity - RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY!
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain and cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
About The Blockchain Learning Group (BLG)
The Blockchain Learning Group provides individuals and organizations with an education-based vehicle to jumpstart their Blockchain strategies by increasing their technical bench strength and creating real-world applications within a minimum period of time. They work with leading organizations globally to facilitate comprehensive, hands-on courses aimed at the developer base - and the organizations that they belong to – in order to provide them with the knowledge, tools and confidence to make an immediate impact with their Blockchain projects. For more information, please visit: https://blockchainlearninggroup.com/
Toronto Fintech & Funding Networking Event (Jul 11, 2018): 4th Annual NCFA Summer Kickoff!
NCFA Canada | Craig Asano | June 18, 2018
Summer Kickoff Networking - PATIO TIME!
Join the National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada, Pegasus Fintech Inc., Fintech Growth Syndicate, Nikola Tesla Unite Ltd., Token Funder, Gowling WLG, Equibit Group, Mavennet, partners, affiliates and the Fintech & Funding community in the heart of upscale Yorkville (neighborhood) on the InterContinental's PATIO and Proof Bar for a night of revelry and prime networking mixer. Interested in disrupting the finance industry, raising capital or participating in Canada’s growing alternative finance and fintech sectors? Here's a perfect opportunity to connect with emerging fintech startups (stealth mode) and experts, strategize with partners, pitch investors and mingle with Toronto’s burgeoning fintech, blockchain, AI and crowdfinance ecosystem.
EVENT DETAILS:
Wednesday, Jul 11, 2018
~5:30 PM - 9:00PM+
InterContinental Yorkville (PATIO & Proof Bar)
220 Bloor Street West, Toronto, M5S 1T8 (map)
LIMITED TICKETS - GET'M BEFORE THEY'RE GONE!
$25 Early SOLD OUT!
$35 Standard SOLD OUT!
$50 Late - Last Chance SOLD OUT!
THANKS FOR ANOTHER GREAT EVENT - SOLD OUT!
AND OFFICIALLY KICKING OFF THE SUMMER!
- All include entrance to private event, a complimentary drink, hors d'oeuvres, prizes, entertainment, and prime networking
- Taxes and fees extra. No refunds 7 days before the event (after Jul 4). Ticket transfers ok.
- If it rains the event will take place inside the Proof Bar
- Checkout photos from last year's Summer networking event here
- Inclusive Deals for fintech students, starving start-ups and women founders: email for code: info@ncfacanada.org
- NCFA Members deal: Save 25% https://bit.ly/2IxBi4s (Not a member yet? Join today and save)
All ticket registrations by July 3 will be automatically entered into a July 4th draw taking place 6pm at Yonge and Dundas square at driver/showcase event to WIN 2 VIP tickets:
Congrats to the following multiple winners of the tickets!
Ryan Correia,MD Equivesto Inc.
Emily Cornelius, Marketing, Equibit
Draw will take place July 4th at 6pm at Yonge and Dundas Niko race car driver/showcase event.- 2 winners will be drawn and receive 2 x tickets entrance with VIP pit passes for Saturday, July 7 at the Mobil 1 Sportscar Grand Prix sponsored by event partner NIKOCoin
This event is for the Fintech & Funding, Blockchain, AI and Alternative Investing Community
Innovators and investors interested in financial innovation, networking and collaborating with startups, investors, angels, early stage-focused VC's and industry experts and developers in alternative finance, crowdfunding, fintech, payments, cryptocurrency, blockchain, ICOs / STOs, Artificial Intelligence-driven investing and other financial innovation sectors.
- Women founders
- Companies actively raising capital
- Investors and syndicates interested in investing
- Fintech advisors, consultants, and development experts (startups, institutions, researchers, academia, government)
- Financial innovators and developers looking to partner or collaborate
- High growth fintech start-ups (stealth mode) and scale-ups. Private or public.
- Developers looking for opportunities and to connect with businesses
- Funding platforms, dealers, providers and their client networks
- Anyone interested in emerging fintech trends, regulations and industry developments
Those who are crazy enough to think they can change the world usually do - Steve Jobs
Venue (Patio and covered Proof Bar)
Event Host and Partners:
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a non-profit actively engaged with cryptocurrency, blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO/STO, and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE, or become a valued contributing member and get perks.
For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Pegasus Fintech, Inc.focuses on supporting innovative solutions in the Financial Services, Technology, Blockchain and Cryptocurrency communities. Pegasus has developed a full-service process for assisting organizations who want to do an Initial Coin Offering (ICO). Together with our team of highly skilled industry professionals and partners we create, with our clients, the necessary business, legal, accounting, technology development, capital and funding strategies, whitepapers, roadmaps, marketing and sales processes to deploy successful and compliant ICOs. Pegasus also has created an integrated network platform, called the Pegasus Matrix, supporting interactivity through Pegasus supported ICO use cases. Pegasus is a partner of Polymath and is the first North American Sponsor Firm of the Gibraltar Blockchain Exchange (GBX).
For more information, please visit: pegasusfintech.com
FinTech Growth Syndicate (FGS) is a business accelerator that accelerates sales, partnering and marketing strategies for new and growing FinTech companies and implements internal or external innovation strategies and projects for financial institutions and technology incumbents. We are deeply connected to the FinTech community and stakeholders and help organizations find partners and build awareness within the FinTech ecosystem.
For more information, please visit: fintechgrowthsyndicate.com
Gowling WLG is an international law firm created by the combination of Gowlings, a leading Canadian law firm, and Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co (WLG), a leading UK-based international law firm. With more than 1,400 legal professionals in 19 cities across Canada, the UK, Continental Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Gowling WLG provides clients with top-tier legal advice at home and abroad in a range of areas. Our clients have access to in-depth expertise and experience in key global sectors, including advanced manufacturing, energy, financial services, infrastructure, life sciences, natural resources, real estate and tech. We see the world through our clients’ eyes, and collaborate across countries, offices, service areas and sectors to help them succeed – no matter how challenging the circumstances. Our culture is, above all, about people and teams, based on our belief in the power of relationships to deliver tangible business results.
For more information, please visit: gowlingwlg.com
Equibit Group is the company that developed the Equibit coin (EQB) and an initial product suite for application of the open-source Equibit network. This decentralized application of blockchain technology enables a worldwide, peer-to-peer equity and debt marketplace. In much the same way that Bitcoin applied digital technology to currency and payments, Equibit eliminates the need for expensive infrastructure and third-party facilitation from depositories or transfer agents. The Equibit network connects issuers with investors directly. Registration, transfer, settlement and investor relations can all be managed securely and digitally within a decentralized environment. With Equibit Group, capital markets meet the blockchain.
For more information, please visit: equibitgroup.com
TokenFunder is a Canadian company building a blockchain-powered venture funding platform and investment market. Our mission is to allow every investor equal access to invest in the best companies. We are a pioneer, the first company to work with the Ontario Securities Commission LaunchPad to launch Canada's first security token offering on the Ethereum public blockchain.
For more information, please visit: tokenfunder.com
Mavennet provides private enterprise blockchain solutions that enable high transaction throughput and interoperability between multiple blockchain platforms. These solutions are powered by Mavennet's core technology stack, Aion for Enterprise, built using foundational components of the public Aion network.
INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED?
Contact us to learn more: info@ncfacanada.org
Also seeking 1-2 Volunteers
SEE YOU THERE!
Photos from last year here
Ethereum Rises on Positive Comments by the SEC
Crowdfund Insider | JD Alois | Jun 14, 2018
Ethereum rose dramatically today following the comments of William Hinman, Director of the Division of Corporate Finance at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), who inserted a statement in a speech today that ended the question of Ethereum being a security. Hinman told an audience at Yahoo Finance in San Francisco;
“And putting aside the fundraising that accompanied the creation of Ether, based on my understanding of the present state of Ether, the Ethereum network and its decentralized structure, current offers and sales of Ether are not securities transactions.”
The reassuring comments not only helped Ethereum, but other cryptocurrencies followed higher in its wake.
CoinList co-founder and President Andy Bromberg commented on the news from the SEC that it doesn’t consider Ether or Bitcoin – for that matter, a security:
“The SEC’s recent comments are a validation of the possibility of non-securities tokens and a big step towards more definitive guidance on how and when individual tokens can be defined as non-securities. The precedent they are indicating here is a powerful one that will enable new projects to continue to flourish in the space.”
Of course, the comments by the SEC does not mean that Ethereum based initial coin offerings (ERC20 – ICOs) are in the clear. Most all of these offerings are more than likely securities when looking at recent comments by SEC Chair Jay Clayton. But what is encouraging is the fact that the agency is willing, and interested, in enabling crypto-innovation. Echoing comments by other staff members of the SEC, Hinman encouraged blockchain entrepreneurs to reach out to them before proceeding.
“We are happy to help promoters and their counsel work through these issues. We stand prepared to provide more formal interpretive or no-action guidance about the proper characterization of a digital asset in a proposed use. In addition, we recognize that there are numerous implications under the federal securities laws of a particular asset being considered a security...
Continue to the full article --> here
Click for News:
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November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Fundraising, Investing, Trading, Leadership, Competition, Human Capital, Health A Brokerage Race Beyond $0 Commissions On November 10, 2026, Webull Canada added Nasdaq Basic Canada, giving clients free real time Level 1 quote and trade data across Canadian listed equities. The feed provides best bid, best offer and last sale information for stocks listed on the TSX, TSX Venture, CSE and Cboe Canada. Nasdaq says its consolidated feed can reduce Level 1 market data costs by more than 60% compared with traditional Canadian data packages. Webull isn't first to give Canadian investors free real time information. The more interesting story is how quickly another paid feature is becoming part of the basic brokerage account. Wealthsimple helped normalize $0 trading in 2019, Questrade followed in 2025 and Webull dropped its own commissions in April 2026. With the headline trading fee largely gone, brokers now need other reasons for investors to move money and keep it on the platform. Who Led Canada’s Race To $0 Trading And Free Market Data Wealthsimple Trade launched nationally on March 13, 2019 with $0 commissions on Canadian and U.S. stocks and ETFs. Questrade removed commissions on listed stocks and ETFs ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding A Toronto Fintech Riskfuel Analytics Brings AI Pricing Into BBVA’s Global Markets Workflow On November 10, 2026, BBVA deployed Riskfuel Analytics' neural pricing technology inside the pre-trade structuring workflow for autocallable products on its ePricer platform. Riskfuel is a Toronto fintech founded in 2019 that builds AI models for derivatives pricing. BBVA is a global bank with a large corporate and investment banking business. The deployment puts Canadian built AI directly into the calculations used to design complex structured products at a major global bank. Riskfuel's model is trained on BBVA's own pricing engine and uses more than 4,000 market and product inputs. The company says the surrogate was tested against more than 100,000 trades and can evaluate thousands of candidate structures in under a minute. BBVA had already added AI generated investment ideas to ePricer in September. Riskfuel goes further into the workflow by speeding up the numerical pricing work while BBVA's own model remains the reference. How Riskfuel Speeds Up BBVA's Autocallable Pricing Autocallables can depend on volatility, interest rates, dividends, maturity, coupon levels and several barrier conditions. Autocallables are structured investments ...
Nov 12, 2026 Buying a Canadian money services business starts with identifying what the buyer will acquire: a legal entity, a registration history, contracts, records and possibly an active operation. The value of that package depends on whether it supports the services the new owner intends to provide. A FINTRAC registration entry is an important starting point. It does not establish the company’s financial condition, the quality of its compliance programme or the availability of banking relationships after an acquisition. A payment business may also need a separate assessment under the Retail Payment Activities Act, or RPAA. For investors evaluating a Canadian MSB company for sale, due diligence should connect registration status, actual activities, transaction structure and financial evidence before the parties agree a completion timetable. Verify the Canadian MSB registration and legal entity Begin with the target’s exact legal name, incorporation details, registration number and current status. Match the entity in the corporate documents to the entity in FINTRAC’s Money Services Business Registry. FINTRAC explicitly states that registration does not mean it endorses or licenses a business. It also states that it does not issue licences or certificates of registration. A sales presentation using the phrase “FINTRAC licence” should ...
November 12, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Wealthtech Investing And Trading Strategy still runs a software business, but Bitcoin now dominates its assets and capital raising. MSCI no longer treats that balance as an index eligible operating company. November 11, 2026, MSCI confirmed Strategy’s removal from the MSCI USA and MSCI World indexes after the November 30 close under its new methodology for non operating companies. MSCI is one of the world’s largest index providers, and its benchmarks are followed by funds investing across global equity markets. Japan’s Metaplanet is also being removed from an MSCI index. MSCI has decided that Strategy no longer qualifies for its equity indexes because Bitcoin now dominates its assets and much of its capital raising. Strategy still sells software and reports operating revenue, but MSCI is drawing a line between a business that holds investment assets and one where those assets have become the main financial story. Why Is MSCI Removing Strategy From Its Indexes? MSCI first looked at a rule aimed specifically at digital asset treasury companies. It later dropped that proposal and change it's methodology to cover companies whose finances ...
Nov 12, 2026 Crypto market cap is calculated by multiplying an asset's reference price by its circulating supply. A token priced at $2 with 50 million units circulating has a market cap of $100 million. The calculation estimates the value of that supply at the reference price; it does not total the money investors deposited. To understand a change in the ranking, examine both inputs and the provider's definitions. A larger number can result from price changes, supply changes, or revised reporting. Establish what the two inputs represent The arithmetic is simple, but neither input is self-explanatory. “Price” may be a reference assembled from selected trading pairs and venues, rather than the last transaction on the exchange you use. A provider may exclude observations or convert quote currencies. Two services can publish different estimates because their source selection and methods differ. Circulating supply is an estimate of units treated as available in the market under a provider's rules. It may differ from the number minted, the total recorded by a contract, or the maximum permitted under a protocol's current design. Locked balances, treasury allocations, burns, and scheduled releases require interpretation. A transparent methodology matters because identical arithmetic can still use ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Risk Compliance And Regtech Financial firms are putting AI agents into production well before giving them broad financial authority. That creates time to set identity, permissions and transaction controls before autonomous execution becomes common. On November 11, 2026, Bank of England Financial Policy Committee external member Jonathan Hall used his final FPC speech to examine what happens when AI agents get more authority inside financial firms. A Bank of England and FCA survey of 196 firms found that 80% already deploy AI agents and another 14% plan to within 12 months. Only 2% reported agents with broad autonomy, and none of those were in trading and payments. Finance is adopting agents quickly, but firms are still keeping people and hard limits around the decisions that can change money, positions or customer outcomes. AI Agents Are In Finance But They Are Not Trading Alone The 2026 Bank of England and FCA survey separates four levels of authority: Decision support lets an agent recommend an action while a person decides and executes it. Constrained execution lets the agent act inside preset rules. Conditional autonomy ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Entrepreneurs Startups Small Businesses, Equity Crowdfunding And Alternative Funding A small group of large rounds is carrying Canadian venture totals while deal count and growth stage financing remain well below recent norms. On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association published its Q3 2026 venture capital report. Canadian companies raised $4.3 billion across 397 deals through September, only 1% less capital than a year earlier. But 23 rounds of $50 million or more represented just 6% of disclosed deals and absorbed 58% of all venture capital invested. Deal count has also fallen every year since 2021. The national total is holding up far better than the number of companies getting financed. Six Big Rounds Carried 59% Of Q3 Venture Capital Q3 produced $1.35 billion across 129 deals. Capital was 1% higher than Q2, but deal count fell 15%. Six rounds above $50 million accounted for $793 million, or 59% of the quarter’s capital. That's a decent quarter for the companies that closed those rounds, but a weak quarter for everyone else. Mega rounds above $50 million totalled $2.5 billion across 23 transactions ...
November 11, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Competition And Market Structure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Canada is cutting bank fees and switching barriers after years of weak competition, high concentration and poor productivity. On November 7, 2026, the federal government proposed something Canadian investors have complained about for years. Banks would no longer be allowed to charge most investment account transfer fees, which typically cost about $150 per account. Ottawa also wants clearer transfer information and tighter timelines for moving investments to another financial institution. The fee matters because leaving can already be slow and frustrating. Receiving firms often reimburse the outgoing charge to win the account. That means a fee collected by the institution losing the customer can become part of the acquisition cost for the institution trying to win that customer. Canada's six largest banks hold roughly 93% of banking assets. The Competition Bureau was warning about barriers facing fintech competitors in 2017. Ottawa began reviewing open banking in 2018. A federal advisory committee later recommended an operating system by January 2023 and warned that government should not delay. January 2023 came and went. Real Time Rail also slipped years beyond its first expected ...
November 10, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Market Insight | Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Regulation And Policy Funds, Collateral And Settlement Lead Canada’s Near Term Tokenization Opportunity On November 10, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators published its Project Tokenization Phase 1 findings, setting out where Canadian market participants see the strongest commercial opportunities for tokenization and what regulators plan to test next. The report draws on 233 organizations, 21 bilateral meetings and 80 survey responses, along with workshops attended by 281 people in Calgary and 491 in Toronto. Participants put investment funds, private assets, collateral, treasury and settlement infrastructure ahead of public stocks as the strongest near term opportunities. The report also cuts through one of tokenization’s biggest sales pitches. Blockchain can change how an asset is recorded, transferred or settled, but it doesn't automatically create liquidity, investor demand, broader eligibility or stronger ownership rights. Those outcomes still depend on the product, market, legal structure and infrastructure around it. The CSA now plans to take specific projects into Phase 2 through a 120 day public call for proposals. Firms may be able to use existing regulatory processes, tailored regulatory treatment or bounded testing in a ...
Nov 11, 2026 A positive work environment is key for any team that wants to succeed. Team morale is crucial for productivity, motivation, and job satisfaction. Engaging in activities that lift spirits and strengthen connections can lead to great results. Creating a positive team environment requires creativity, engagement, and some fun. Each activity can strengthen connections, boost motivation, and improve workplace dynamics. When teams focus on strategies to boost morale, they work toward shared success. These activities can lead to lasting memories and help build a stronger team culture. Here are some fun strategies to help improve your team's morale and make the workplace livelier. Fun at the Arcade Visiting an arcade spot is a great way to enjoy time together and build teamwork. Imagine your team facing challenges with various games. Whether it's racing or playing team games, the arcade encourages friendly competition and bonding. These fun experiences can help reduce stress and improve relationships among coworkers. Arcades offer many options to suit diverse interests and skill levels. The lively atmosphere invites everyone to relax and take a break from their daily tasks. Shared laughter and enjoyment can lead to better communication and teamwork when you return to the ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Fundraising, Investing, Trading, Leadership, Competition, Human Capital, Health A Brokerage Race Beyond $0 Commissions On November 10, 2026, Webull Canada added Nasdaq Basic Canada, giving clients free real time Level 1 quote and trade data across Canadian listed equities. The feed provides best bid, best offer and last sale information for stocks listed on the TSX, TSX Venture, CSE and Cboe Canada. Nasdaq says its consolidated feed can reduce Level 1 market data costs by more than 60% compared with traditional Canadian data packages. Webull isn't first to give Canadian investors free real time information. The more interesting story is how quickly another paid feature is becoming part of the basic brokerage account. Wealthsimple helped normalize $0 trading in 2019, Questrade followed in 2025 and Webull dropped its own commissions in April 2026. With the headline trading fee largely gone, brokers now need other reasons for investors to move money and keep it on the platform. Who Led Canada’s Race To $0 Trading And Free Market Data Wealthsimple Trade launched nationally on March 13, 2019 with $0 commissions on Canadian and U.S. stocks and ETFs. Questrade removed commissions on listed stocks and ETFs ...
November 10, 2026 | Market Activity | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding A Toronto Fintech Riskfuel Analytics Brings AI Pricing Into BBVA’s Global Markets Workflow On November 10, 2026, BBVA deployed Riskfuel Analytics' neural pricing technology inside the pre-trade structuring workflow for autocallable products on its ePricer platform. Riskfuel is a Toronto fintech founded in 2019 that builds AI models for derivatives pricing. BBVA is a global bank with a large corporate and investment banking business. The deployment puts Canadian built AI directly into the calculations used to design complex structured products at a major global bank. Riskfuel's model is trained on BBVA's own pricing engine and uses more than 4,000 market and product inputs. The company says the surrogate was tested against more than 100,000 trades and can evaluate thousands of candidate structures in under a minute. BBVA had already added AI generated investment ideas to ePricer in September. Riskfuel goes further into the workflow by speeding up the numerical pricing work while BBVA's own model remains the reference. How Riskfuel Speeds Up BBVA's Autocallable Pricing Autocallables can depend on volatility, interest rates, dividends, maturity, coupon levels and several barrier conditions. Autocallables are structured investments ...
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with cryptocurrency, blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Conference Toronto (Oct 22-23): 11th Annual Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX)
Canadian Innovation Exchange | Peter Jones | June 8, 2018
NCFA Canada is a proud Community Partner of CIX, Canada's most curated startup investment conference. Invited attendees are founders of Canada's most innovative early- and growth-stage tech companies and global investors and corporates.
CIX takes place over two days, Oct 22-23, 2018, in downtown Toronto.
The 11th annual CIX Top 20 program is now open for submissions. The CIX Top 20 program is Canada's largest national showcase of the nation's hottest and most innovative tech companies. CIX Selection Committee evaluates all submissions and selects 20 to present at CIX, taking place on October 22 & 23 in Toronto.
Register online and use code KICKOFFCIX by Friday, July 20th, or reach out to Joel Pinto at jpinto@brunico.com for further registration inquiries
Visit the CIX website --> now
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with cryptocurrency, blockchain, crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders globally. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, services, and networking opportunities to thousands of members and subscribers and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding and fintech industry. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Fintech in Canada: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
CrowdfunInsider | JD Alois | Mar 14, 2018
Last week during the National Crowdfunding and Fintech Association of Canada’s annual event, FFCON2018, there was a single presentation that provided a state of Fintech in Canada. Professor Michael King, from the Scotiabank Digital Banking Lab @ Ivey Business School, delivered an excellent synopsis of what’s working and what’s not.
Entitled “the Current State of Fintech in Canada: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly,” King’s deck bulleted out both the high and the low.
So what is working out well up North?
Canada is growing Fintech startups. There is more than 800 today which is pretty respectable for a smaller country.
Areas of prominence include Blockchain, AI, Payments, peer to peer and more.
See: CSE aims to be Canada’s first blockchain platform for trade clearing and settlement
There is an increasing number of incubators and accelerators to promote sector growth, plus recognition by universities and other support sectors that Fintech is of strategic importance.
What is not so good, or perhaps kind of bad?
Traditional financial institutions have been slow to adopt Fintech innovation or partner with emerging disruptive financial firms. King provided a painful, but probably not a unique example, where a traditional bank required 120+ signatures to partner with Fintech firm.
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The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders across the country. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, and networking opportunities to over 1600+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
Heard in Toronto at #FFCON18: Blockchain is the Future, Alternative Finance is Now
This past week, the National Crowdfunding and Fintech Association of Canada(NCFA) held its annual event in Toronto that saw over 500 participants join to discuss Fintech from around the world. FFCON18 Velocity covered the wide-ranging spectrum of current topics in the realm of alternative finance including Blockchain, cryptocurrency and other forms of financial innovation. The event was appropriately held in the Design Exchange in downtown Toronto – the former home of the Toronto Stock Exchange.
The NCFA always puts on a good event bringing together a diverse group of industry participants including investors, entrepreneurs, platforms and public officials – including provincial regulators. Crowdfund Insider was pleased to be involved in the annual event. Today, we are sharing just a few of the interesting quotes we heard while participating in FFCON18.
“Nobody knows anything. We are at the very beginning. It is going to be different from anything anyone is thinking right now.”
“Bitcoin has lost the race to be a currency but it is going to be a great store of value. A better gold.”
“I am a believer in utility tokens but security tokens are going to be bigger.”
“Regulators have two options: Regulators can roll out the red tape or roll out the red carpet. The genie is already out of the bottle.” – Lou Kerner, CryptoOracle
“When Ripple got started they were not exactly sure where to apply their technology.” – Diana Adachi, CEO of Pegasus Fintech
See:
CSE aims to be Canada’s first blockchain platform for trade clearing and settlement
OSC approves Canada’s first blockchain ETF
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The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with both social and investment crowdfunding, alternative finance, fintech, P2P, ICO, and online investing stakeholders across the country. NCFA Canada provides education, research, industry stewardship, and networking opportunities to over 1600+ members and works closely with industry, government, academia, community and eco-system partners and affiliates to create a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada. For more information, please visit: ncfacanada.org
