Matthew is Chair of Osler’s Digital Assets and Blockchain practice and is a partner in the Corporate Group. Matthew’s practice focuses on securities and financial regulatory matters and the design of sophisticated corporate structures for clients in the digital asset industry.
He regularly advises on stablecoin structures, tokenized securities, cryptoasset trading, custody arrangements, and the development of regulatory-compliant models for emerging technologies. Much of his work involves guiding clients through complex interactions with Canadian regulators and designing bespoke regulatory structures involving registration, exemptive relief applications, disclosure requirements, and digital asset operational flows. He is also ranked in Chambers Fintech (Canada) 2024.
Matthew’s clients include cryptoasset trading platforms, stablecoin issuers, digital asset custodians, real world asset-backed token issuers, non-fungible token (NFT) issuers, cryptocurrency ATM providers, cryptocurrency miners, cryptocurrency investors, and legal entities connected to decentralized finance protocols.
Matthew was one of the first Canadian lawyers to act for cryptocurrency companies in Canada and is regularly called to give his opinion to the media on issues relating to cryptocurrency and Canadian law, and has been quoted in Fortune Magazine, Reuters, The Globe and Mail, Bloomberg, The Logic, The Toronto Star, Yahoo News, the Winnipeg Free Press and has also been interviewed on CBC radio and CBC television. Matthew is also an author on Coindesk.com, the world’s largest cryptocurrency and blockchain news site.
Matthew sits on a variety of advisory boards of his clients and is currently an advisor to the Alberta Securities Commission’s New Economy Advisory Committee.
Representative Work
- Export Development Canada
EDC in connection with Canada’s first tokenized bond issuance
EDC in connection with Canada’s first tokenized bond issuance
Latest Insights
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Osler Update March 6, 2026
Project Samara: the first regulator-approved Canadian tokenized bond
Project Samara evaluates how tokenization and distributed ledger technology can support bond issuance and settlement.
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Osler Update February 25, 2026
CIRO’s digital asset custody framework: institutionalizing crypto custody in Canada
The framework ensures digital asset custody aligns with existing securities regulations.
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Osler Update December 2, 2025
Canada releases draft framework for stablecoin regulation
The proposed Stablecoin Act is aimed at creating a prudential regime for permitted stablecoins.
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Blog November 6, 2025
Federal budget sets stage for Canadian stablecoin legislation, but key contours remain unclear
Budget 2025 marks the first time Canada’s federal government has announced its intention to regulate the issuance of fiat-backed stablecoins.
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Awards and Recognition
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Recognized in Securities Law; FinTech Practice; Technology Law
—Best Lawyers -
Recognized in FinTech Legal
—Chambers FinTech – Canada -
2025 Winner – Canada
—Mondaq Thought Leadership Awards - FinTech
Media Mentions
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Media Mentions March 24, 2026
Wealthsimple clears regulatory hurdle to bringing prediction trading to Canada – The Globe and Mail
Matthew Burgoyne says such decisions can create “a safe place for Canadian residents to trade these types of contracts.”
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Media Mentions January 28, 2026
Explainer: What are prediction markets? – Canadian Affairs
Matthew Burgoyne comments on the fragmented nature of regulatory oversight of prediction markets in Canada.
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Media Mentions January 16, 2026
Will prediction markets ever become legal in Canada? – Casino.org
Matthew Burgoyne discusses how Canada’s securities regulatory regime might apply to predictive betting markets.
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Media Mentions January 10, 2026
Someone made big money betting on Maduro. What are prediction markets, and is it time they had tighter rules? – CBC News
Prediction markets have been recently garnering attention as large sums of money have been made betting on world events.
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Community Involvement
- Canadian Blockchain Consortium: Director and Chair of legal committee
- Calgary Crime Stoppers Association: Former President and Director
- Oxford House Foundation of Canada: Former board member
- Bishop O’Byrne Housing for Seniors Association: Former board member
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
- Canadian Blockchain Consortium, Alberta Trade Mission
Moderator, Digital Asset Day, July 11, 2024 - Canada Fintech Symposium
Panelist, “Navigating the intersection of Legal Innovation, Technology and Credit Unions in FinTech”, Calgary, June 27, 2024 - 2024 PCMA Canada Conference, Private Capital Goes Mainstream: Democratization of Investing
Speaker, “Bitcoin vs. Gold – Which is a Better Storage of Wealth”, Omni King Edward Hotel, Toronto, April 24, 2024 - University of Calgary Technology Law Association Webinar
Speaker, Technology Law Career Panel, March 2021 - Canada Blockchain Consortium Webinar
Speaker, Santions – Discover How the Long Arm of US Law Can Have Devastating Impact, February 2021 - Vexxit Business Webinar
Speaker, The Future of Money: Canadian Digital Currency Law 2020, December 2020 - Alberta Technology Symposium
Speaker, Trust in Transactions: Security & Digital Currency Exchanges, April 2020 - Alberta Technology Symposium
Moderator, Trust in Transactions: Security & Digital Currency Exchanges, April 2020 - Alberta Blockchain Summit
Moderator, Trust in Tokens: Regulating Blockchain Securities, September 2019 - Bitcoin Rodeo Conference
Speaker, Financing Blockchain Innovation; The Future of Blockchain Regulation in Canada, March 2019 - Blockchain & Crypto Business Convention
Speaker, State of Crypto Law 2018, October 2018 -
Previous Media Coverage
Quoted in “Regulators unveil new guidance for cryptocurrency traders in Canada” The Globe & Mail, March 29, 2021
- Quoted in “Canadian securities regulators announce crackdown on unregistered cryptocurrency-trading platforms” The Logic, March 29, 2021
- Quoted in “Canadian investors at risk as number of unregulated cryptocurrency exchanges explodes,” The Logic, March 22, 2021
Published Work
- “The rise of central bank digital currencies: Where is Canada?”, Law360 Canada, August 24, 2023
- “What Crypto Regulation Is in Canada and How It Should Evolve”, TheFutureEconomy.ca, July 10, 2023
- “Current & Critical – Matthew Burgoyne, The Evolving World of Crypto & Blockchain”, Collisions YYC Podcast, Episode 315, February 14, 2023
- “Cryptocurrency and death: Where’s your key?”, Concentra Insights, August 2020
- “Investor Tips for Reading an Offering Memorandum,” Private Capital Markets, Winter 2016-2017
Credentials
Education
- University of Manitoba, LLB
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Alberta
- Canadian Bar Association
- Alberta Securities Commission: New Economy Advisory Committee, Technology and Innovation Advisory Committee
- Canada Blockchain Consortium: Board of Directors, 2020-Present; Head of Legal Committee, 2019-Present
- Private Capital Markets Association of Canada: Private Lending committee
- Open Banking Initiative Canada: Working Group
