Four Stikeman Elliott lawyers recently co-authored the Canadian chapter of the third edition of The Virtual Currency Regulation Review, published by Law Business Research Ltd. This chapter provides an excellent practical overview of recent legal and regulatory changes and developments and their effects, while looking ahead to expected virtual currency trends and developments.

Among the specific topics considered are the following:

  • Applicability of Canadian securities laws to virtual currencies;
  • Virtual currency offerings and prospectus requirements;
  • Regulatory considerations for intermediaries;
  • Exchanges and other platforms;
  • Asset management and investment funds;
  • AML (anti-money laundering);
  • How currency miners are regulated;
  • Enforcement under civil and criminal law;
  • Tax treatment of virtual currencies; and
  • Taxation of virtual currency miners and of employees who are paid in virtual currency.

The authors would like to thank Jorge Caicedo, summer law student in Stikeman Elliott's Toronto office, for his contribution to this chapter.

We are pleased to be able to make this 14-page publication available for downloading.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.