Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Consensus 2025 Toronto | Spotlight on Canadian Speakers
Consensus Toronto | March 13, 2025
Coindesk Announces First Batch of 100 Speakers to Join Consensus 2025 in Toronto May 14-16
CoinDesk's Consensus 2025 is set to take place May 14-16, 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Canada. This is one of the largest and most influential blockchain, crypto, and Web3 conferences in the world, bringing together industry leaders, investors, regulators, and innovators to discuss the future of crypto, digital assets, and decentralized finance.
Canadian Speakers Taking the Stage
Canada is a global leader for blockchain innovation. Here are some of of the key Canadian voices taking the stage in May that you won't want to miss:
1. Dean Skurka – President & CEO, WonderFi Technologies Inc.
As the head of WonderFi Technologies, one of Canada’s most well-known digital asset firms, Dean Skurka oversees Bitbuy and Coinsquare, two of the country’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Previously serving as President and CFO of Bitbuy, he played a pivotal role in scaling operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
2. Lucas Matheson – CEO, Coinbase Canada
As the leader of Coinbase Canada, Lucas Matheson is responsible for expanding the crypto giant’s presence in Canada. With prior experience at Shopify, he brings a deep understanding of fintech and digital commerce to the evolving landscape of Canadian digital assets.
3. Anthony Di Iorio – Co-founder, Ethereum & CEO, Decentral Inc.
Anthony Di Iorio is a blockchain pioneer and one of the original co-founders of Ethereum. As the CEO of Decentral Inc., he focuses on decentralized technologies that promote user control and security. He also leads the Andiami project, aimed at decentralizing node infrastructure to enhance blockchain network resilience.
4. Jelena Djuric – CEO & Co-Founder, Noble
As the CEO of Noble, Jelena Djuric is driving innovation in tokenized assets and on-chain financial infrastructure. She is also a co-founder of the Canadian Web3 Council, advocating for regulatory clarity and the growth of Canada’s blockchain ecosystem.
5. Danish Ajmeri – Director of Product, Crypto, Wealthsimple
At Wealthsimple, one of Canada’s largest fintech firms, Danish Ajmeri oversees crypto product development and plays a crucial role in making digital assets more accessible to mainstream investors.
6. Adam Cai – CEO, Virgo.co
As the CEO of Virgo.co, a regulated Canadian cryptocurrency exchange, Adam Cai is focused on bridging traditional finance with digital assets, ensuring compliance while expanding access to crypto trading.
7. Scot Johnson – CEO, Digital Shovel
Scot Johnson leads Digital Shovel, a Canadian firm specializing in mobile mining infrastructure, providing modular and scalable solutions for crypto mining operations worldwide.
8. Earl Mai – CTO, ePIC Blockchain Technologies
A leader in blockchain infrastructure, Earl Mai is the CTO of ePIC Blockchain Technologies, helping advance high-performance computing solutions for digital asset mining and decentralized applications.
9. Pascal St-Jean – President & CEO, 3iQ Corp
As the CEO of 3iQ Corp, Pascal St-Jean leads one of Canada’s largest digital asset investment firms, managing crypto-based investment funds that are publicly traded.
10. Ken Sim – Mayor of Vancouver
As Mayor of Vancouver, Ken Sim is at the forefront of blockchain policy discussions, supporting fintech innovation while fostering regulatory clarity for digital asset companies in Canada’s fintech capital.
11. Don Tapscott – CEO, The Blockchain Research Institute
A world-renowned blockchain strategist, Don Tapscott leads the Blockchain Research Institute, where he works with governments and enterprises to advance blockchain adoption across industries.
Why Attend Consensus 2025?
With over 20,000 attendees expected, Consensus 2025 will feature sessions on tokenization, decentralized finance, artificial intelligence in Web3, and the evolution of digital assets. Attendees will also have access to:
See: 10 Fintech and Crypto IPOs 2025 – Boom or Bubble?
- Networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors
- Deal making sessions in the Deal Flow Zone
- Exclusive workshops on regulatory frameworks and compliance
- Live product demos and innovation showcases from leading Web3 companies
Save 15% with NCFA
🔗 Register now: https://go.coindesk.com/NCFA
💰 Use promo code: NCFACANADA15 at checkout
Prices are increasing this Friday, March 14 at 4:00PM ET
See You There!
Join NCFA at Consensus 2025! Secure your pass today and be part of the conversations shaping the future of blockchain, crypto, and fintech.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a cross-Canada non-profit actively engaged with fintech, alternative finance, blockchain, cryptocurrency, crowdfunding 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: www.ncfacanada.org
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October 5, 2026 | Last Updated October 5, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Cybersecurity Fraud And Financial Crime, Fintech And Innovation How Snaplii, Visa, Stripe and OpenAI Limit AI Agent Spending On October 5, 2026, Toronto based fintech Snaplii presented Snaplii Cash as a separate wallet for AI agent spending, letting users fund a limited balance instead of giving software access to a bank account or stored card. The payment system itself isn't new today. Snaplii launched its Agent to Merchant payment skill on April 29 and published detailed Muse payment controls on October 1. Today's announcement makes the consumer proposition clearer and adds cashback to the pitch. Snaplii is making a specific payment choice. The agent gets enough money to complete a purchase without gaining access to the account that funded it. Visa, Stripe and OpenAI are tackling the same problem differently, using restricted credentials or permission tied to a particular transaction. Snaplii Caps What Muse Can Spend The current Muse payment setup starts with a Snaplii Cash balance. Canadian users can add money by Interac e Transfer, while U.S. users can use Apple Pay. The user then creates an API key and ...
October 5, 2026 | Last Updated October 5, 2026 | SME Finance And Business Banking, Digital Banking And BaaS, Fintech And Innovation SME Banking Competition Meets Core Modernization On October 5, 2026, Tangerine launched Tangerine Business in Canada for a select group of entrepreneurs, making it the first offering running on the bank's new core powered by Engine by Starling, the banking technology arm of UK digital bank Starling Bank. The Scotiabank-owned digital bank is entering business banking with no monthly account fee, interest on operating balances and optional overdraft protection, while broader access is planned over time. Digital banks and fintechs are already competing for small business deposits and payments. Tangerine's first business banking products run on technology developed from Starling Bank's own platform, less than a year after Tangerine signed a 10-year agreement to modernize its broader banking system. Tangerine Starts With the Operating Account The Business Spending Account pays 1.25% interest with no monthly fee or minimum balance. It includes unlimited free Interac e-Transfers, Spaces for separating money, digital onboarding and optional FlexiDraft. Eligible applicants include Canadian sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations with Canadian-resident owners and privately owned, for-profit businesses. A separate Business Savings Account currently pays ...
October 5, 2026 | Event, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Web3, Networking, Singapore One of NCFA's media partners Block Tides is co-hosting a Web3 and digital assets ecosystem networking and industry event, Tech EZ KOL Club by DigiMaaya this October 6 at Gardens by the Bay — bringing together KOLs, creators, founders, exchanges, investors, traders, and ecosystem leaders in one curated room. 📍 Flower Field Hall, Gardens by the Bay 📅 October 6, 2026 ⏰ 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM SGT Expect: ✨ High-value networking 🤝 Founder, investor & exchange introductions 📣 KOL + creator collaborations 🌐 Partnership, media & ecosystem opportunities 🏆 Leader Awards + Book Launch 🥂 Premium hospitality with a waterfront setting 🎟 Partner Pass — Free, subject to approval 💎 VIP Pass — 99 USDC If you're in Singapore for TOKEN2049 Week, this is one of the rooms you’ll want to be inside. 👉 Register here: https://luma.com/twvhx8s4 Hosted by DigiMaaya Co-Hosted by AKARI × Block Tides See you at the Bay. 🌊⚡ 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, ...
Oct 5, 2026 Financial technology firms use machine learning to improve how they identify fraud, analyze risk, predict financial trends and verify identities. When researchers must conduct experiments to solve technical problems, detailed records provide evidence of the research process. Effective documentation connects the initial technical problem to the specific tests, results, decisions and resources that the developers used. Define the Technical Objective Project records are effective when they begin with a description of the technical goal. Managers can describe how the system is intended to function, the technical limitations that exist at the start and why current methods do not work. As an example, a firm might try to build a tool that identifies rare transaction sequences while ensuring the system does not increase the number of false alarms. Technical problems that require investigation are a central part of the record. Stating that a firm built an artificial intelligence tool is not enough to show that experimental work happened. Documentation is more precise when it describes difficulties with the structure of a model, training data, the selection of variables, the accuracy of predictions, the ability of the system to handle more data, speed or how the tool works with ...
Oct 5, 2026 Running a medspa requires balancing the priorities of a healthcare practice with the expectations of a customer-focused service business. From coordinating appointments and maintaining compliance to managing staff and creating a consistent patient experience, there are many moving parts behind the scenes. As the industry continues to grow, medspa owners and managers must find ways to streamline operations without losing the personal attention that keeps clients coming back. Understanding the most common management challenges can help practices identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen relationships, and build a more sustainable business. Keeping Scheduling and Operations Organized One of the biggest challenges for medspas is efficiently coordinating appointments. Unlike a traditional retail appointment book, medspa schedules may need to account for treatment length, provider availability, consultation requirements, room availability, and follow-up visits. Clinic scheduling sowftware can help consolidate these details into a single system, making it easier to manage calendars, reduce scheduling conflicts, and give staff a clearer view of daily operations. An organized scheduling process can also improve the client experience by reducing wait times and making appointment reminders more consistent. However, technology is only part of the solution. Managers still need clear procedures for cancellations, rescheduling, late ...
Sep 26, 2026 | Last Updated Oct 2, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Whisperer | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Cross Border Payments And FX, Treasury Liquidity And Cash Management, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Digital Banking And BaaS, Digital Identity And Trust, Embedded Finance, Insurance And Insurtech, Lending Consumer Credit And BNPL, Regulation And Policy, Risk Compliance And Regtech, SME Finance And Business Banking, Wealthtech Investing And Trading This live weekly NCFA Fintech Whisperer tracks the most consequential fintech, payments, AI, digital asset, banking, capital markets and regulatory developments for September 26 to October 2, 2026. Canada comes first, with global developments included when they materially change market access, financial infrastructure, competition, regulation or how fintechs and financial institutions operate. Updated through October 2, the page focuses on developments that change what firms can build, distribute, fund or operate now. (Missed prior week's Fintech Whisperer? (December 6-12, 2025, December 13-19, 2025, January 1-9, 2026, January 10-16, 2026, January 17-23, 2026, January 24-30, 2026, January 31-February 6, 2026, February 7-13, 2026, February 14-20, 2026, February 21-27, 2026, February 28-March 6, 2026, March 7-March 13, 2026, March 14-20, 2026, March 21-27, 2026, March ...
October 1, 2026 | NCFA Market Activity | Capital Markets And Market Infrastructure, Cybersecurity And Fraud, Risk Compliance And Regtech, Regulation And Policy Market Infrastructure, Technology Resilience And Future AI Rules On October 1, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators proposed NI 26-101 Information Technology System Integrity, a national framework for technology systems used by marketplaces, clearing agencies, trade repositories, information processors and matching service utilities. The proposal would bring existing IT requirements into one instrument and make the rules more consistent across Canada's core capital market infrastructure. Comments close January 29, 2027. The proposed rule is only the first phase. The CSA is also asking whether a second phase should add more explicit requirements for cybersecurity, cloud services, outsourced technology and artificial intelligence, and whether technology integrity rules should eventually reach a wider group of securities market participants. NI 26-101 Consolidates Core Market Technology Rules Canadian trading, clearing, reporting and market data systems already operate under technology requirements spread across several securities rules. NI 26-101 would consolidate those obligations into one national instrument and use more consistent language across the organizations that run critical market infrastructure. See: AI Agents Probe Library and Archives Canada The organizations in scope perform different ...
October 1, 2026 | NCFA Market Activity | Capital Markets And Market Infrastructure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Former Vanguard Canada CEO, Event Contracts And CIRO Review On September 30, 2026, Verdx submitted its CIRO investment dealer application to build a Canadian business focused on permitted event contracts and prediction markets. The company is led by Atul Tiwari, who helped establish Vanguard Investments Canada and later served as its chief executive. Verdx is not registered, approved or operating as an investment dealer. Tiwari says Verdx is seeking approval as an order execution only investment dealer under Canada's existing securities framework. It would connect Canadian clients to permitted event contracts traded and cleared on regulated outside venues rather than create or operate the underlying market itself. No launch date or trading venue has been announced. Verdx Wants To Put A Dedicated Dealer Behind Event Contracts CIRO has authorized two investment dealers to facilitate trading in permitted contracts, including contracts available through regulated foreign prediction markets. They operate under the existing investment dealer framework with additional conditions, not under a separate prediction market licence. Wealthsimple offers prediction markets alongside its wider investment platform. Verdx is proposing something narrower. Its business ...
October 2, 2026 | NCFA Insight | Entrepreneurship And Startups, Education And Talent, Innovation And Economic Development, Venture Funding And Building Entrepreneurship Courses, Startup Labs And Founder Programs Across Canada On September 29, 2026, Okanagan College expanded its entrepreneurship programs with a Start Up Lab, short Entrepreneur's Toolkit courses and a Rural Entrepreneur and Artisan microcredential. The new options focus on practical business needs such as developing an idea, reaching customers, managing growth and turning a skill into income. Okanagan College is one part of a much larger Canadian entrepreneurship ecosystem. Founders can now choose from university certificates, college courses, incubators, research commercialization programs, startup accelerators and shorter programs that don't require enrolment in a school. See: Bringing Good Ideas To Life A founder might learn accounting and business planning in a classroom, spend a semester building a company, work with experienced mentors or pitch for seed funding. Someone turning professional skills into a one person business might prefer a six week program. The useful choice depends less on the school name and more on what the founder needs to accomplish next. Better prepared entrepreneurs can create value well beyond their own companies. Statistics Canada describes entrepreneurial activity as a ...
October 1, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Cybersecurity And Fraud, Risk Compliance And Regtech 899 Requests, Failed Probes And Uncertain Attribution On September 30, 2026, Transluce reported that suspected AI agents sent 899 requests to Library and Archives Canada's public Collection Search service on May 28 and June 9. Thirteen contained attack style payloads. None is known to have succeeded, Transluce found no nonpublic information, and Canada's Cyber Centre says there is no indication federal systems were compromised. Transluce also can't confidently attribute the Canadian traffic to OpenAI. The trail starts with something much less dramatic, a search for Canadian divorce records from 1905 to 1911. Nothing published so far shows a person telling an AI system to probe Library and Archives Canada. Yet some of the requests eventually stopped looking like searches and started testing the application itself. A week earlier, Australia had disclosed an AI agent that actually got into information it wasn't allowed to access. Canada went differently. The probes failed, but some basic questions remained. Which AI system sent them? Who gave the original instruction? Why did a records search start testing the software? It started with century old divorce records ...
October 5, 2026 | Last Updated October 5, 2026 | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Cybersecurity Fraud And Financial Crime, Fintech And Innovation How Snaplii, Visa, Stripe and OpenAI Limit AI Agent Spending On October 5, 2026, Toronto based fintech Snaplii presented Snaplii Cash as a separate wallet for AI agent spending, letting users fund a limited balance instead of giving software access to a bank account or stored card. The payment system itself isn't new today. Snaplii launched its Agent to Merchant payment skill on April 29 and published detailed Muse payment controls on October 1. Today's announcement makes the consumer proposition clearer and adds cashback to the pitch. Snaplii is making a specific payment choice. The agent gets enough money to complete a purchase without gaining access to the account that funded it. Visa, Stripe and OpenAI are tackling the same problem differently, using restricted credentials or permission tied to a particular transaction. Snaplii Caps What Muse Can Spend The current Muse payment setup starts with a Snaplii Cash balance. Canadian users can add money by Interac e Transfer, while U.S. users can use Apple Pay. The user then creates an API key and ...
October 5, 2026 | Last Updated October 5, 2026 | SME Finance And Business Banking, Digital Banking And BaaS, Fintech And Innovation SME Banking Competition Meets Core Modernization On October 5, 2026, Tangerine launched Tangerine Business in Canada for a select group of entrepreneurs, making it the first offering running on the bank's new core powered by Engine by Starling, the banking technology arm of UK digital bank Starling Bank. The Scotiabank-owned digital bank is entering business banking with no monthly account fee, interest on operating balances and optional overdraft protection, while broader access is planned over time. Digital banks and fintechs are already competing for small business deposits and payments. Tangerine's first business banking products run on technology developed from Starling Bank's own platform, less than a year after Tangerine signed a 10-year agreement to modernize its broader banking system. Tangerine Starts With the Operating Account The Business Spending Account pays 1.25% interest with no monthly fee or minimum balance. It includes unlimited free Interac e-Transfers, Spaces for separating money, digital onboarding and optional FlexiDraft. Eligible applicants include Canadian sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations with Canadian-resident owners and privately owned, for-profit businesses. A separate Business Savings Account currently pays ...
October 5, 2026 | Event, Digital Assets, Blockchain, Web3, Networking, Singapore One of NCFA's media partners Block Tides is co-hosting a Web3 and digital assets ecosystem networking and industry event, Tech EZ KOL Club by DigiMaaya this October 6 at Gardens by the Bay — bringing together KOLs, creators, founders, exchanges, investors, traders, and ecosystem leaders in one curated room. 📍 Flower Field Hall, Gardens by the Bay 📅 October 6, 2026 ⏰ 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM SGT Expect: ✨ High-value networking 🤝 Founder, investor & exchange introductions 📣 KOL + creator collaborations 🌐 Partnership, media & ecosystem opportunities 🏆 Leader Awards + Book Launch 🥂 Premium hospitality with a waterfront setting 🎟 Partner Pass — Free, subject to approval 💎 VIP Pass — 99 USDC If you're in Singapore for TOKEN2049 Week, this is one of the rooms you’ll want to be inside. 👉 Register here: https://luma.com/twvhx8s4 Hosted by DigiMaaya Co-Hosted by AKARI × Block Tides See you at the Bay. 🌊⚡ 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, ...
Oct 5, 2026 Financial technology firms use machine learning to improve how they identify fraud, analyze risk, predict financial trends and verify identities. When researchers must conduct experiments to solve technical problems, detailed records provide evidence of the research process. Effective documentation connects the initial technical problem to the specific tests, results, decisions and resources that the developers used. Define the Technical Objective Project records are effective when they begin with a description of the technical goal. Managers can describe how the system is intended to function, the technical limitations that exist at the start and why current methods do not work. As an example, a firm might try to build a tool that identifies rare transaction sequences while ensuring the system does not increase the number of false alarms. Technical problems that require investigation are a central part of the record. Stating that a firm built an artificial intelligence tool is not enough to show that experimental work happened. Documentation is more precise when it describes difficulties with the structure of a model, training data, the selection of variables, the accuracy of predictions, the ability of the system to handle more data, speed or how the tool works with ...
Oct 5, 2026 Running a medspa requires balancing the priorities of a healthcare practice with the expectations of a customer-focused service business. From coordinating appointments and maintaining compliance to managing staff and creating a consistent patient experience, there are many moving parts behind the scenes. As the industry continues to grow, medspa owners and managers must find ways to streamline operations without losing the personal attention that keeps clients coming back. Understanding the most common management challenges can help practices identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen relationships, and build a more sustainable business. Keeping Scheduling and Operations Organized One of the biggest challenges for medspas is efficiently coordinating appointments. Unlike a traditional retail appointment book, medspa schedules may need to account for treatment length, provider availability, consultation requirements, room availability, and follow-up visits. Clinic scheduling sowftware can help consolidate these details into a single system, making it easier to manage calendars, reduce scheduling conflicts, and give staff a clearer view of daily operations. An organized scheduling process can also improve the client experience by reducing wait times and making appointment reminders more consistent. However, technology is only part of the solution. Managers still need clear procedures for cancellations, rescheduling, late ...
Sep 26, 2026 | Last Updated Oct 2, 2026 | NCFA Fintech Whisperer | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Payments Infrastructure And Money Movement, Cross Border Payments And FX, Treasury Liquidity And Cash Management, Digital Assets Blockchain And Tokenization, Capital Markets Infrastructure And Funding, Digital Banking And BaaS, Digital Identity And Trust, Embedded Finance, Insurance And Insurtech, Lending Consumer Credit And BNPL, Regulation And Policy, Risk Compliance And Regtech, SME Finance And Business Banking, Wealthtech Investing And Trading This live weekly NCFA Fintech Whisperer tracks the most consequential fintech, payments, AI, digital asset, banking, capital markets and regulatory developments for September 26 to October 2, 2026. Canada comes first, with global developments included when they materially change market access, financial infrastructure, competition, regulation or how fintechs and financial institutions operate. Updated through October 2, the page focuses on developments that change what firms can build, distribute, fund or operate now. (Missed prior week's Fintech Whisperer? (December 6-12, 2025, December 13-19, 2025, January 1-9, 2026, January 10-16, 2026, January 17-23, 2026, January 24-30, 2026, January 31-February 6, 2026, February 7-13, 2026, February 14-20, 2026, February 21-27, 2026, February 28-March 6, 2026, March 7-March 13, 2026, March 14-20, 2026, March 21-27, 2026, March ...
October 1, 2026 | NCFA Market Activity | Capital Markets And Market Infrastructure, Cybersecurity And Fraud, Risk Compliance And Regtech, Regulation And Policy Market Infrastructure, Technology Resilience And Future AI Rules On October 1, 2026, the Canadian Securities Administrators proposed NI 26-101 Information Technology System Integrity, a national framework for technology systems used by marketplaces, clearing agencies, trade repositories, information processors and matching service utilities. The proposal would bring existing IT requirements into one instrument and make the rules more consistent across Canada's core capital market infrastructure. Comments close January 29, 2027. The proposed rule is only the first phase. The CSA is also asking whether a second phase should add more explicit requirements for cybersecurity, cloud services, outsourced technology and artificial intelligence, and whether technology integrity rules should eventually reach a wider group of securities market participants. NI 26-101 Consolidates Core Market Technology Rules Canadian trading, clearing, reporting and market data systems already operate under technology requirements spread across several securities rules. NI 26-101 would consolidate those obligations into one national instrument and use more consistent language across the organizations that run critical market infrastructure. See: AI Agents Probe Library and Archives Canada The organizations in scope perform different ...
October 1, 2026 | NCFA Market Activity | Capital Markets And Market Infrastructure, Wealthtech Investing And Trading, Regulation And Policy Former Vanguard Canada CEO, Event Contracts And CIRO Review On September 30, 2026, Verdx submitted its CIRO investment dealer application to build a Canadian business focused on permitted event contracts and prediction markets. The company is led by Atul Tiwari, who helped establish Vanguard Investments Canada and later served as its chief executive. Verdx is not registered, approved or operating as an investment dealer. Tiwari says Verdx is seeking approval as an order execution only investment dealer under Canada's existing securities framework. It would connect Canadian clients to permitted event contracts traded and cleared on regulated outside venues rather than create or operate the underlying market itself. No launch date or trading venue has been announced. Verdx Wants To Put A Dedicated Dealer Behind Event Contracts CIRO has authorized two investment dealers to facilitate trading in permitted contracts, including contracts available through regulated foreign prediction markets. They operate under the existing investment dealer framework with additional conditions, not under a separate prediction market licence. Wealthsimple offers prediction markets alongside its wider investment platform. Verdx is proposing something narrower. Its business ...
October 2, 2026 | NCFA Insight | Entrepreneurship And Startups, Education And Talent, Innovation And Economic Development, Venture Funding And Building Entrepreneurship Courses, Startup Labs And Founder Programs Across Canada On September 29, 2026, Okanagan College expanded its entrepreneurship programs with a Start Up Lab, short Entrepreneur's Toolkit courses and a Rural Entrepreneur and Artisan microcredential. The new options focus on practical business needs such as developing an idea, reaching customers, managing growth and turning a skill into income. Okanagan College is one part of a much larger Canadian entrepreneurship ecosystem. Founders can now choose from university certificates, college courses, incubators, research commercialization programs, startup accelerators and shorter programs that don't require enrolment in a school. See: Bringing Good Ideas To Life A founder might learn accounting and business planning in a classroom, spend a semester building a company, work with experienced mentors or pitch for seed funding. Someone turning professional skills into a one person business might prefer a six week program. The useful choice depends less on the school name and more on what the founder needs to accomplish next. Better prepared entrepreneurs can create value well beyond their own companies. Statistics Canada describes entrepreneurial activity as a ...
October 1, 2026 | NCFA Story Intelligence | Artificial Intelligence And Data, Cybersecurity And Fraud, Risk Compliance And Regtech 899 Requests, Failed Probes And Uncertain Attribution On September 30, 2026, Transluce reported that suspected AI agents sent 899 requests to Library and Archives Canada's public Collection Search service on May 28 and June 9. Thirteen contained attack style payloads. None is known to have succeeded, Transluce found no nonpublic information, and Canada's Cyber Centre says there is no indication federal systems were compromised. Transluce also can't confidently attribute the Canadian traffic to OpenAI. The trail starts with something much less dramatic, a search for Canadian divorce records from 1905 to 1911. Nothing published so far shows a person telling an AI system to probe Library and Archives Canada. Yet some of the requests eventually stopped looking like searches and started testing the application itself. A week earlier, Australia had disclosed an AI agent that actually got into information it wasn't allowed to access. Canada went differently. The probes failed, but some basic questions remained. Which AI system sent them? Who gave the original instruction? Why did a records search start testing the software? It started with century old divorce records ...
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