Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Competition | Oct 31, 2025

Today, the Competition Bureau of Canada released a new draft of "Anti-Competitive Conduct and Agreements Enforcement Guidelines" for the public and stakeholder consultation to be submitted by January 29, 2026. These guidelines are part of a larger effort to modernize how Canada enforces competition law, which directly affects fintechs, startups, and any business working to scale in today’s digital economy.
The proposed guidance updates how the Bureau will interpret and enforce sections 75 to 79 and 90.1 (see Competition Act text), including key areas such as:
- Refusals to deal and exclusive arrangements
- Market restrictions and tied selling
- Abuse of dominance
- Civil agreements between competitors that may restrict competition
It also consolidates older enforcement materials, including the now superseded 'Price Maintenance Guidelines' and 'Abuse of Dominance Guidelines' into a single updated document that reflects legislative amendments made between 2022 and 2025.
For fintechs, platform businesses, and other high-growth ventures, this kind of regulatory clarity matters. Whether you are entering a data-sharing agreement, challenging a gatekeeping incumbent, or navigating pricing structures, clearer enforcement guidance reduces ambiguity and legal exposure.
The draft guidelines account for several recent reforms to the Competition Act, including:
- A restructured test for abuse of dominance
- New scrutiny on certain business collaborations (even when parties are not direct competitors)
- An expanded ability for multiple provisions to apply in a single enforcement case
According to the Bureau, these updates are designed to reflect how competition issues appear in evolving markets, including digital services and platform ecosystems.
In prior consultations, public feedback has directly influenced how the Bureau created its final guidance, whether on wage-fixing, platform conduct, or innovation impacts. Stakeholder input has led to more usable, grounded enforcement tools that reflect market realities.
This consultation is substantive. If your business model depends on partnerships, licensing, data access, or competition with larger players, this consultation is worth your attention.
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 aa 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, artificial intelligence, 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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Equity Crowdfunding | Oct 31, 2025

Image: Gander Social via FrontFundr equity crowdfunding campaign
On October 24, 2025, Gander Social, a Canadian alternative to foreign-owned social platforms, announced that they surpassed $1 million raised from more than 1,595 investors in its initial private community phase, exceeding their target in just over a week. Then on October 30, the company announced in a release that they are opening the campaign up to the public on FrontFundr, inviting Canadians across the country to join its growing base of community owners.
The campaign has now raised almost $1.2 million and is targeting $1.5 million and continues to grow rapidly through organic participation and word-of-mouth sharing, demonstrating the strong appetite for Canadian-built platforms and the expanding role of equity crowdfunding in mobilizing retail investors, especially at a time when early stage venture funding channels are under pressure.
Led by Ottawa-based longtime creative director turned founder CEO Ben Waldman, Gander Social is built by a small team of Canadian engineers and creators who want to give people a trustworthy alternative to ad-driven social media. The company is structured as a Public Benefit Corporation, showing its commitment to long-term public accountability rather than short-term profit. Waldman described the movement behind Gander as “more like a call to arms,” a push to rebuild online spaces around community ownership and digital sovereignty.
BenWaltman, CEO Gander Social:
By setting a minimum investment of $255, Gander is making participation accessible to everyday Canadians. The campaign reinforces the growing “keep it in Canada” mindset that prioritizes domestic ownership, ethical innovation, and sustainable platform design. Investors are not just looking for returns but they want to help define the kind of digital economy they want to see in Canada.
As Canada feels the geopolitical pressures, across the country investors are embracing equity crowdfunding to participate directly in the innovation economy and keep growth capital in Canada. It’s a model that strengthens community engagement while advancing national competitiveness and financial inclusion.
For policymakers and fintech advocates, Gander’s raise demonstrates how equity crowdfunding can mobilize citizens to fund nationally significant ventures. It shows how financial innovation and digital sovereignty can align to strengthen Canada’s independence, resilience, and competitiveness in a global tech landscape increasingly defined by foreign control. Learn more about the Gander Social campaign here.
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 aa 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, artificial intelligence, 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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Financing | Oct 30, 2025
Image: Freepik/rawpixel.com
On October 27, 2025, Wealthsimple announced it had raised $750 million in new equity funding at a $10 billion post money valuation. The deal includes $550 million in new shares and up to $200 million from secondary sales.
Dragoneer Investment Group and GIC led the round, joined by CPP Investments, Power Corporation of Canada, IGM Financial, ICONIQ Capital, Greylock Partners, and Meritech Capital.
Crossing the $10 billion valuation milestone shows how far Canada’s fintech industry has come. Wealthsimple’s steady rise from startup to profitable platform proves that a Canadian firm can reach global scale while keeping its focus on trust, compliance, and user experience. This new round comes at a time when many fintechs worldwide are struggling to raise growth capital.
Wealthsimple has been profitable since 2024 and now manages over $100 billion in assets for more than three million Canadians.
Michael Katchen, CEO and co-founder, Wealthsimple:
“This raise reflects deep confidence from new and returning investors in our mission and our role as a defining Canadian company. We were intentional in choosing partners committed to the long-term future of Wealthsimple. These are well-respected, global leaders with a proven track record scaling category leaders, and who believe in our vision for the future of financial services.”
Choo Yong Cheen, Chief Investment Officer, Private Equity, GIC:
“We look for companies that will transform industries for decades to come, and Wealthsimple is one of them. Their track record of innovation, from investing to trading to spending, combined with deep trust from Canadians, positions them to build a defining, generational company in Canadian financial services.”
Institutional investors such as CPP Investments and Power Corporation bring more than capital. They bring credibility. Their involvement helps normalize fintech as a core part of the financial system, not a novel experiment. This type of institutional participation encourages other large funds to view Canadian fintechs as viable, well governed opportunities for long term growth. It also shows that responsible innovation can attract serious capital without sacrificing values like inclusion and transparency.
Wealthsimple’s record of profitability and compliance gives regulators a real life example that innovation and stability can work together. The company’s consistent performance may help policymakers as they work to finalize the implementation of open banking.
Wealthsimple’s growth story and impact goes beyond one company. It's an achievement that reflects how far Canada’s fintech community has evolved, from early crowdfunding to full service digital banking. It gives startups and investors a reason to believe that they can scale globally while keeping their roots in Canada. For NCFA, this success reinforces the importance of a financial ecosystem that rewards innovation, broadens access to capital, and strengthens Canada’s competitiveness on the world stage.
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 aa 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, artificial intelligence, 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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Prediction Markets | Oct 29, 2025

Image: NHL Calder Memorial Trophy example (Polymarket)
On October 22, 2025, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced new multi-year partnerships with Kalshi and Polymarket. It's the first time a major sports league has given prediction markets an official seat at the table.
Both Kalshi and Polymarket will use official NHL data, league marks, and broadcast rights to let fans interact with games through regulated financial platforms. The partnerships show how fintech innovation is breaking into unexpected territory, and why responsible design and governance matters just as much as bold ideas.
Think of a prediction market as a meeting point between finance and curiosity.
People can trade small contracts based on real-world outcomes, such as who will win this year's Stanley Cup or a playoff series? How many goals a team might score? Or whether a player reaches a milestone? The prices of those contracts is based on supply and demand, so they reflect what the crowd believes will happen.
Kalshi operates under the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), while Polymarket began as a blockchain experiment using the Polygon network and USDC stablecoin.
For fans, prediction markets turn watching into participation.
For fintechs, it validates that with the right mix of data, incentives, and community interactions financial tools can become part of mainstream entertainment when framed responsibly. Innovation when paired with trust can educate and expand access, too.
Behind the excitement sits a serious legal question. Kalshi is fighting a federal battle with the New York State Gaming Commission, which insists that its contracts are a form of unlicensed sports wagering. Kalshi argues otherwise. Other regulators in places like Massachusetts and Nevada have voiced similar concerns. Each ruling is a test of whether innovation can coexist with public accountability. The company says federal law gives the CFTC authority, not state gaming boards.
Polymarket’s path has been anything but linear. After paying a $1.4 million CFTC fine in 2022 for operating without registration, the firm earned approval to relaunch in the U.S. in 2025 by acquiring QCEX exchange with a CFTC license.
By changing from a fully decentralized model to one that aligns with compliance standards, Polymarket demonstrated how they could innovate within regulatory frameworks. Now it sits alongside Kalshi as an NHL partner. A fintech built on blockchain that's earned institutional trust by embracing regulation, instead of resisting it.
As covered by the Sports Business Journal, the NHL didn’t jump in blindly. Reports show the NHL consulted regulators and examined consumer protections before agreeing to the partnerships.
Even so, the American Gaming Association called the deal “deeply troubling” (subscription required) warning that fans could confuse regulated markets with gambling. That tension captures a bigger issue facing every fintech today. That is how to innovate responsibly while protecting users. The NHL partnership suggests that fintechs can scale mainstream by demonstrating to regulators And customers that innovation and safety can coexist.
For Canada, the NHL partnership is a glimpse into what the future of participatory finance could look like. Canadian regulators have already been exploring frameworks for digital assets, open banking, and tokenized finance.
Prediction markets fit naturally into that conversation. If handled properly, they could open new avenues for retail engagement and capital formation while reinforcing Canada’s reputation for responsible fintech growth.
Prediction markets are moving from the edges of crypto into the center of participatory commerce. By partnering with Kalshi and Polymarket, the NHL is betting not only on fan enthusiasm but on fintech’s capacity to build trust through transparency. For Canada’s fintech community, the moment reinforces a truth long advocated by NCFA, when innovation, regulation, and inclusion advance together, everyone gains.
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 aa 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, artificial intelligence, 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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