The Netcoins Blog

A hardware wallet is a small device that creates and stores the private keys that control your crypto, and signs transactions without exposing those keys to your phone or computer. Your crypto stays on the blockchain. The device only proves you approved a transaction. Hardware wallets reduce some risks, but they cannot protect a lost backup or a careless approval. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. Self-custody and DeFi risk warning: When you hold your own keys, there is usually no one who can reverse a mistaken transaction or recover a lost recovery phrase. Hardware wallets, their software, and the apps you connect them to can have flaws, and decentralized finance (DeFi) apps carry smart-contract, liquidity, and fraud risks that can lead to permanent loss. This article explains how these tools work; it is not a recommendation to use any particular device, wallet, or app.

High-net-worth investors in Canada often use over-the-counter (OTC) desks to trade large crypto orders privately at a quoted price, rather than through public order books. They also look closely at custody arrangements, settlement terms, and performance reporting. Each choice carries risks, including counterparty, custody, and price risk. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Memecoins are usually created by deploying a token smart contract on a blockchain such as Ethereum or Solana, setting its supply and permissions, and pairing it with a base asset in a liquidity pool so it can trade. Because the process costs little, many tokens are created, most stop trading within a day, and scams are common. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Buying and selling crypto in Canada usually means funding an account on a crypto trading platform with Canadian dollars, placing a market or limit order, and choosing how to store what you buy. Selling works in reverse. Understanding order types, fees, and storage options helps beginners see where their money goes and what risks they take on. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Before trusting anyone's guidance on digital assets, confirm they're actually registered. Canadians can check an advisor's registration status through the CSA National Registration Search, verify their standing through CIRO's Advisor Report, and confirm credentials like the CFP designation directly through FP Canada. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Always do independent research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

o report a crypto scam in Canada, victims should immediately secure their accounts and compile transaction evidence, especially the transaction hashes. They should then report the incident both to their local police and to the national reporting system run by the RCMP's National Cybercrime Coordination Centre (NC3) and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), and notify any financial institutions involved. These reports can be made at the same time. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

CAKE is the utility and governance token of PancakeSwap, a decentralized exchange originally built on the BNB Chain. It is used to pay certain platform fees, vote on governance proposals, and participate in liquidity programs. CAKE is a volatile crypto asset, and using a decentralized exchange carries risks that differ from using a Canadian crypto trading platform. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. Crypto assets are volatile and can lose value. Decentralized finance protocols such as PancakeSwap are not registered Canadian platforms, and using them carries risks including smart contract failure, impermanent loss, and permanent loss of funds sent to an incorrect address. This article explains how the ecosystem works; it is not a recommendation to use it.

BNB is the native digital asset of the BNB Chain ecosystem, used to pay transaction fees, participate in staking, and take part in network governance. It launched in 2017 as an Ethereum-based token before moving to its own blockchain infrastructure, which today includes the BNB Smart Chain, the opBNB scaling network, and the BNB Greenfield storage network. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. BNB is a volatile crypto asset. Its price can rise or fall significantly, and holding it can result in substantial or complete loss. Deflationary token mechanics do not guarantee any particular price outcome.

USDC is a stablecoin that some Canadian businesses use to settle international invoices faster than traditional bank wires, by converting Canadian dollars into USDC and transferring it directly to a recipient's wallet. Settlement can occur in seconds to minutes rather than days, though USDC carries its own risks and is not the same as holding Canadian or US dollars. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, legal, or tax advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy. Crypto assets are volatile and their value can go down as well as up. You could lose some or all of the money you put in. Past performance, historical cycles, and on-chain indicators do not predict future results. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. Stablecoin risk disclosure: USDC is a value-referenced crypto asset (VRCA), commonly called a stablecoin. It is not fiat currency and it is not a bank deposit. Its value is not guaranteed. USDC depends on its issuer, Circle, holding adequate reserves and honouring redemptions. Risks include loss of its intended peg to the US dollar, issuer and reserve risk, redemption and liquidity risk, custody and counterparty risk, operational risk, regulatory risk, and the risk that the issuer freezes USDC held at certain addresses. USDC has temporarily lost its peg before. Holders can lose some or all of the value of their USDC.

Plasma (XPL), PancakeSwap (CAKE) and BNB are three cryptocurrencies now available to buy on Netcoins. Each plays a different role in the crypto ecosystem: a payments-focused blockchain, a decentralized exchange token, and the asset that powers one of the world's largest crypto networks. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any crypto asset. Crypto assets involve significant risks, including price volatility and the risk of loss. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Yes, some projects sell tokens before they list on any exchange, through presales, Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) or Initial DEX Offerings (IDOs). These sales happen outside Canada's regulated exchanges, carry a high risk of partial or total loss, and Netcoins does not support, facilitate or endorse the purchase of presale, ICO or IDO tokens. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any crypto asset, including any presale, ICO, or IDO token. It is not a recommendation to participate in any token sale or to use any particular platform, wallet, or launchpad. Crypto assets involve significant risks, including price volatility and the risk of loss, and presale or unlisted tokens carry substantially greater risk than listed assets. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Canadian small businesses can accept crypto payments in three main ways: a direct wallet transfer using a public address or QR code, a third-party payment gateway that automates checkout and conversion, or a native integration such as USDC through Shopify Payments. Each carries different costs, limitations, and operational requirements. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. Crypto assets are volatile and can lose value. Accepting them involves operational, custody, and market risks, and availability of the services described varies by region and changes over time.

Layer 2 networks are secondary protocols built on top of a primary blockchain to process transactions at higher speeds and lower costs. By bundling thousands of off-chain transactions into a single batch and settling it on the main network, a Layer 2 sharply reduces fees while still relying on the base layer for security. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Dollar-cost averaging is a method of buying a fixed dollar amount of an asset at regular intervals, regardless of its price. Spreading purchases over time removes the need to pick an entry point. It does not guarantee gains, reduce the volatility of the asset itself, or protect against losses. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. Crypto assets are volatile and can lose substantial or all of their value. Dollar-cost averaging is one of several approaches investors use, and describing it here is not a recommendation to use it or to buy any crypto asset.

XRP is the native digital asset of the XRP Ledger, an open-source blockchain built for fast, low-cost value transfer. Rather than mining, the network uses a federated consensus model in which trusted validators vote, closing ledgers in roughly three to five seconds. XRP is a volatile asset and can lose value. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any crypto asset. Crypto assets involve significant risks, including price volatility and the risk of loss. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Bitcoin's value is generally attributed to a combination of digital scarcity, a decentralized network, cryptographic security, and its use as a payment network. None of these features guarantee value or future performance. Bitcoin's price is set entirely by market demand, is highly volatile, and substantial or complete loss is possible. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any crypto asset. Crypto assets involve significant risks, including price volatility and the risk of loss. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Learn how crypto staking works in Canada, from Proof-of-Stake basics to bonding and unbonding periods, which coins can be staked, and the risks to weigh first.

The pre-funding problem is the need for banks to park large sums of idle cash in foreign accounts before they can settle international payments. Because traditional banks share no common real-time ledger, they must pre-fund these accounts so money is available the moment a customer requests a cross-border transfer. This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, financial, legal, or tax advice or a recommendation or solicitation to buy, sell, or hold any crypto asset. Crypto assets involve significant risks, including price volatility, liquidity, technology, custody, and regulatory risks, and may result in loss. References to particular crypto assets or technologies are provided for illustrative and educational purposes only.

A crypto bear market is often described as a prolonged decline in cryptocurrency prices, sometimes measured against a drop of 20% or more from recent highs as a general market convention borrowed from equities. There is no single agreed definition. These periods have tended to bring negative sentiment, thinner trading volumes, and reduced leverage. Similar expansion and contraction patterns have occurred before, though future cycles may differ. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, tax, or professional advice, and it is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any cryptocurrency or to use any particular investment strategy, including dollar-cost averaging. Cryptocurrency is highly volatile and you could lose some or all of the money you put in. Historical market cycles and on-chain indicators described here are descriptive only and do not predict future performance. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency.

Prediction markets are online exchanges where people trade contracts on the outcome of future events, such as inflation readings or interest rate decisions. Each contract is a Yes or No question priced between 0 and 100 that reflects the market's implied probability of that outcome. In Canada, access to these products is limited and regulated. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency or event contracts. Risk warning: Event contracts, also called prediction market contracts, are high-risk derivative products. A contract can expire at zero, which means you can lose the entire amount you paid for it. These products also carry liquidity risk (you may not be able to exit at a fair price), resolution risk (disputes over how an outcome is decided), platform risk, legal and regulatory risk that varies by jurisdiction, operational risk, and behavioural risk, because they can encourage speculative or excessive trading. This article is educational and is not a recommendation to trade these products or to use any platform.

SWIFT moves money by sending secure payment instructions between correspondent banks, a process that can take days to clear and can carry several fees. Stablecoins instead transfer tokenized value over public blockchains, where the on-chain transfer can confirm within seconds. Full end-to-end settlement still depends on separate funding, compliance, conversion, and off-ramp steps, so the total time and cost vary by corridor and provider. This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. Always do your own research and consult qualified professionals before making decisions related to cryptocurrency. Risk warning: Crypto assets, including stablecoins, are high risk and can lose value, and you could lose some or all of the money involved. A stablecoin is not the same as holding Canadian or US dollars at a bank, and it can lose its peg. Crypto assets are not eligible for coverage by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF). Digital currencies and cryptocurrencies are not eligible deposits insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC). Registration of a platform as a restricted dealer is not an endorsement and does not guarantee safety. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any asset.