Tokenization Initiative for Capital Markets

Ontario Securities Commission News

Published March 31st, 2026

Detected April 1st, 2026

Summary

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) has launched Project Tokenization under its CSA Collaboratory to examine tokenized financial products in Canadian capital markets. The CSA is inviting stakeholders to regulatory workshops in Calgary (April 9, 2026) and Toronto (June 11, 2026) to explore how tokenization intersects with securities laws.

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What changed

The CSA has initiated Project Tokenization, a collaborative effort to understand how distributed ledger technology intersects with Canadian securities regulation. The initial phase will involve stakeholder engagement, issue mapping, and targeted research on tokenization opportunities and risks. Subsequent phases could include a discussion paper or live testing of tokenized instruments within the CSA Collaboratory.

Regulated entities interested in tokenization should express their interest through the provided forms. Participation in the workshops offers an opportunity to contribute to regulatory development and gain early insights into how tokenization may be treated under Canadian securities law.

What to do next

Express interest in participating in Project Tokenization workshops
Register for the Calgary workshop on April 9, 2026 or the Toronto workshop on June 11, 2026
Review current tokenization activities for potential regulatory implications

Source document (simplified)

CSA invites stakeholders to participate in tokenization initiative

CSA

March 31, 2026

For Immediate Release

CALGARY and TORONTO – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) has launched an initiative to examine the potential for tokenized financial products in the capital markets and is inviting interested parties to the upcoming workshops taking place in Calgary and Toronto on this market innovation.

Tokenization is the use of distributed ledger technology to the creation, issuance, or representation of assets. The CSA’s Project Tokenization, an initiative in its CSA Collaboratory, will examine how this technology intersects with Canada’s securities laws, and will support informed, coordinated regulatory responses to it.

The CSA supports responsible innovation in the capital markets to enhance Canada’s global competitiveness. Globally, tokenized products are being developed and launched by a broad range of market participants, including financial institutions, asset managers, issuers, market infrastructure providers, and technology developers. In parallel, central banks and regulators are exploring ways to support innovation (such as tokenization) while protecting investors and safeguarding financial stability.

Through Project Tokenization, the CSA will work collaboratively with stakeholders to deepen regulatory understanding as tokenization evolves in capital markets. The initial phase of the project will explore the opportunities and risks of tokenization through engagement with stakeholders, issue mapping, and targeted research. Subsequent phases could include a discussion paper or potentially the live testing of tokenized financial instruments and infrastructure within the CSA Collaboratory.

Participate in a Tokenization in the Capital Markets workshop

The CSA is inviting fintechs, issuers, financial institutions, developers, transfer agents, custodians, marketplaces, clearing agencies/houses, services providers, legal and accounting professionals, academics, and other interested stakeholders to participate in regulatory workshops. Express your interest in engaging with the CSA on Project Tokenization.

Calgary workshop:

Thursday, April 9, 2026
Register here to join the Calgary event.

Toronto workshop:

Thursday, June 11, 2026
Express your interest in attending the Toronto event.

About the CSA Collaboratory

The CSA Collaboratory is a dedicated space for regulators and innovators to leverage and channel collective intelligence in support of Canada’s evolving capital markets. It is the entry point for all Canadian market participants and investors to connect with CSA members to explore and provide feedback on new financial concepts and innovative business models. Insights from the Collaboratory can contribute significantly to regulatory policy development and provide market participants with data that can help inform decision-making.

About the CSA

The CSA is the council of securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories. The CSA’s objective is to improve, coordinate and harmonize regulation of the Canadian capital markets.