Coinbase Canada CEO Advocates for Swift National Crypto Strategy Development
At Consensus 2025 in Toronto, Lucas Matheson, CEO of Coinbase Canada, advocated for a national crypto strategy from the new Canadian government. He emphasized the need for leadership to prevent Canada from falling behind in crypto innovation.
- Canada is a historical hub for crypto, with ties to Ethereum and a strong Web3 development community.
- Matheson called for a dedicated federal crypto leader akin to the U.S. crypto czar.
- He proposed establishing a government-led crypto task force within the first 100 days to create a national strategy.
- The strategy would cover defining digital assets, regulating stablecoins, and enabling banks to securely hold crypto.
- He suggested developing a Canadian-dollar-denominated stablecoin to enhance financial efficiency.
- Matheson noted 15% of Canadians are underbanked, presenting an opportunity for innovation through crypto.
- The "Stand with Crypto" initiative aims to educate lawmakers on blockchain benefits and dispel misconceptions.
- Matheson urged swift action to avoid being left behind in the global crypto landscape.
He highlighted regulatory challenges as a barrier to providing compliant crypto services in Canada, which could lead users to non-compliant platforms abroad.