Wealthsimple Review | Should You Buy Crypto With Wealthsimple?

Wealthsimple Review Image
Jack Moreau
Feb 2024
7 min read
Fact checked

Are you wondering if Wealthsimple is the right exchange to safely, quickly and cheaply buy and sell cryptocurrencies? In this unbiased review of Wealthsimple, we'll break down everything you need to know from its features, number of cryptocurrencies, trading fees and much more. This way you can easily decide if it makes sense to use or whether you should consider alternative exchanges instead.

Wealthsimple

pros & cons

Pros

Crypto, Stocks, ETFs, Save
Regulated & Insured

Cons

Only 50 cryptocurrencies
High purchase fees (1.5-2%)
Only available in Canada
Limited staking & high fees

Wealthsimple

vs alternatives

Wealthsimple
Kucoin
OKX
Founded
2014
2017
2017
Users
3M
30M
20M
Cryptos
50
+700
+350
Spot Fees
1.5-2%
0.1%-0.3%
0.08%
KYC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Countries N/A
All but Canada
US, CA, CN
US, CA
Best for
Canadian Beginners
Altcoins & Perps
Spot & Futures trading
Rating
Signup
Wealthsimple
Your Capital is at risk.
Kucoin
OKX

What is Wealthsimple?

Wealthsimple is a Canadian-based financial services company that was founded in 2014 by Michael Katchen and Brett Huneycutt.

The company's goal is to make investing easy and accessible for anyone who wants to invest in their future. With over 1000 employees and headquarters in Toronto, Wealthsimple offers a variety of investment services to customers in Canada.

Wealthsimple exchange
Wealthsimple exchange

Wealthsimple offers a range of investment products and services, including robo-advisory, stocks and shares ISAs, savings accounts, and cryptocurrency trading.

One of the unique things about Wealthsimple is that it has a wide selection of stocks and ETFs that customers can invest in. The company provides access to its trading platform through its exchange available via browser and mobile app that has been downloaded over 1 million times.

Wealthsimple app
Wealthsimple app

Wealthsimple is only available in Canada and supports a small range of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other well-known coins.

As of today, Wealthsimple has over 3 million users in Canada who trust them with their investments. They offer a simple and accessible platform packed full of investment options.

Wealthsimple KYC Requirements

Are you looking to get into cryptocurrency trading but not sure how to sign up and get started? Well, let's take a look at Wealthsimple, one of the most popular exchanges in Canada.

First things first, KYC (Know Your Customer) is mandatory on Wealthsimple, so you'll need to complete the verification process before accessing any services. But don't worry, the signup process is pretty straightforward and shouldn't take more than a few minutes.

Wealthsimple KYC
Wealthsimple KYC

All you need to do is provide your basic information such as your name, email, and country of residence. Once you've completed that, you'll need to upload all the necessary documents to complete the KYC process.The verification process can take a couple of days to complete, but once you're approved, you're free to start trading on Wealthsimple.

Wealthsimple Products & Services

As mentioned earlier, Wealthsimple is only available to Canadians and provides a beginner-friendly way to invest in stocks and cryptocurrencies.

The platform offers a range of products and services that cater to both novice and experienced investors alike. With Wealthsimple, you can access fractional shares of over 1000 stocks and ETFs commission-free, as well as buy and sell over 50 cryptocurrencies.

Buy and sell cryptocurrencies on Wealthsimple
Buy and sell cryptocurrencies on Wealthsimple

Plus, you can even stake certain cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Solana for additional rewards. Wealthsimple also offers managed investing with a low 0.5% management fee, savings accounts, 1% cashback, and free and simple tax filing.

Wealthsimple staking
Wealthsimple staking

Wealthsimple

products vs alternatives

Wealthsimple
Kucoin
OKX
Spot
Yes
Yes
Yes
Futures
-
Yes
Yes
Leverage
-
125X
125X
Copy trade
-
Yes
Yes
Lend & Borrow
Yes
Yes
Yes
Staking
-
Yes
Yes
NFTs
-
Yes
Yes
Signup
Wealthsimple
Your Capital is at risk.
Kucoin
OKX

How To Buy Crypto On Wealthsimple

Wealthsimple provides a slightly different approach to buying cryptocurrencies than some of the other platforms.

They don't offer spot trading so users can't directly buy or sell specific cryptocurrencies via an orderbook. Instead, customers can buy crypto with instant deposits via bank or card transfer.

One thing that sets Wealthsimple apart is their simplicity. They appear to have designed their platform specifically for beginners in the cryptocurrency space. The platform makes it easy for beginners to begin investing in cryptocurrencies.

While Wealthsimple may not offer the same range of cryptocurrencies and options as some of the other platforms, their focus on simplicity and user-friendliness could make it the right choice for someone who is just starting out. But as we will soon find out, the beginner friendly and convenient exchange also comes with high trading fees.

Wealthsimple

fees vs alternatives

Wealthsimple
Kucoin
OKX
Spot fee (mkr)
1.5-2%
0.1%-0.3%
0.08%
Spot fee (tkr)
1.5-2%
0.1%-0.3%
0.10%
Futures (mkr)
-
0.02%
0.02%
Futures (tkr)
-
0.06%
0.05%
Signup
Wealthsimple
Your Capital is at risk.
Kucoin
OKX

Wealthsimple Trading Fees

Wealthsimple offers a different approach to trading fees. Instead of operating their own exchange, they work with other exchanges and charge a 1.5-2% fee per transaction. These fees are very high and users can lower them significantly by using alternative exchanges.

Wealthsimple fees
Wealthsimple fees

Wealthsimple Deposit Methods

Wealthsimple offers several fiat deposit methods, including bank transfers and credit/debit cards. Unlike some other exchanges, Wealthsimple doesn't charge fees for fiat deposits or withdrawals, making it more affordable and accessible. Whether you prefer to use your bank account or credit/debit card, Wealthsimple has you covered. The supported fiat currencies include USD and CAD.

How to withdraw from Wealthsimple?

Wealthsimple users can withdraw their fiat currency via bank transfer to Canadian banks. While fiat withdrawals are limited to Canadian banks, it's worth noting that these withdrawals are processed quickly and efficiently. In terms of fees, users won't be charged any fees for withdrawing their fiat currency. Cryptocurrency withdrawals are also available on Wealthsimple with different fees depending on the blockchain.

Is Wealthsimple Safe?

Wealthsimple has never been hacked and offers a range of protective measures to safeguard their clients assets. While they don't currently offer proof of reserves, they are a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and have obtained licenses and registrations required by law.

Wealthsimple partners with only qualified custodians for cold storage, ensuring their clients assets safe and sound. And to take things up a notch, they've also teamed up with Coincover for an extra layer of protection.

Their custodial partners have over $200M in cold storage coverage each, so you can sleep soundly knowing your crypto is in good hands. Plus, deposits and securities are protected through CDIC or CIPF within specified limits.

Wealthsimple insurance
Wealthsimple insurance

When it comes to account-level security, Wealthsimple provides features like 2FA, account lock and monitoring, and session management that tracks browsers and device sessions. And while it's always recommended to keep as few assets as possible on exchanges, Wealthsimple's strong security measures make it a solid choice for those looking to trade crypto with peace of mind.

Wealthsimple

security vs alternatives

Wealthsimple
Kucoin
OKX
Hacked
No
No
No
Proof of reserves
-
Yes
Yes
Licenses
FINTRAC (CA)
-
VA in Dubai
Signup
Wealthsimple
Your Capital is at risk.
Kucoin
OKX

Wealthsimple Conclusion

Wealthsimple is a standout investment platform that offers a range of investment products and services that cater to both novice and experienced investors alike. With a user-friendly website, Wealthsimple makes investing in stocks and cryptocurrencies easy and accessible.

As of today, Wealthsimple boasts a user base of over 3 million Canadians who trust them with their investments. The platform offers a wide selection of stocks and ETFs that customers can invest in, and even boasts over 50 cryptocurrencies available for purchase.

The platform has been designed with simplicity in mind to make it easy for beginners to get started. While Wealthsimple may not offer the same range of cryptocurrencies and options as some of the other platforms, their emphasis on user-friendliness and security make it a solid choice for those looking to trade crypto with peace of mind.

Wealthsimple

Crypto, Stocks, ETFs, Save

Regulated & Insured

Visit Wealthsimple
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Author
Jack Moreau
Jack is a crypto writer and reviewer who has been active in the space since he caught the crypto bug in 2017. With a passion for trying out new shiny things, Jack is always eager to try the latest cryptocurrency exchanges, wallets or DeFi applications.

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