- Kraken has decided to play ball with Canadian regulators.
- Binance, OKX, and others have formed a mini-exodus from Canada.
- The Canadian regulations have helped boost those who are happy to comply.
Regulatory pressure across North America has impacted the running of crypto businesses as both Binance and OKX have left the shores of Canada. However, there is a high reward for the exchanges that have stayed.
It has been revealed that Krakenโs customer deposits rose 25% in the wake of Binanceโs announcement to depart Canada. Kraken also saw a fivefold increase in app downloads within a week of OKX leaving in March.
A Tighter Framework
Similarly to its southern neighbor, Canada has become a difficult place for crypto companies to operate in. In February, Canadian securities regulators strengthened oversight and enhanced expectations of crypto asset trading platforms operating in Canada.
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The Canadian authorities highlighted โrecent insolvencies involving several crypto asset trading platformsโ as a motivating factor for their new regulations. For exchanges to continue trading in Canada, they must register with regulators and follow strict guidelines.
This requirement has been too difficult for some, including Binance and OKX, but also Paxos, Blockchain.com, Deribit, and ByBit.
Playing Ball
With increased deposits and customer acquisition, Kraken is reaping the rewards of committing to Canadaโs enhanced Pre-Registration Undertaking (PRU). Even Coinbase, embroiled in its own regulatory battle in the U.S., has stayed in Canada and is happy to commit to the new rules.
For Coinbase, the concern is not strict regulations; it is unclear and ambiguous ones โ which are prevalent in the U.S. In fact, speaking to Coindesk, Coinbaseโs VP of International and Business Development, Nana Murugesan, has said they are โlovingโ crypto regulation by engagement, as is done in Canada.
Getting in Line
With the PRU seemingly tough enough to cause a mini-exodus, some are left questioning the exchanges unwilling to get in line. Binance, for instance, has been questioned on its transparency with regulators before, with this latest move in Canada again causing concerns.ย
Read more about Canadaโs Crypto Exodus:
Canadaโs Crypto Exodus: Bybit Walks Away
Read more about the crypto arms race between the U.S. and China: