TLDR
- CADD launched on May 4, 2026, as Canada’s first regulated Canadian dollar stablecoin.
- The stablecoin is pegged 1:1 to the Canadian dollar and backed by CAD reserves.
- CADD is live on Base, Ethereum mainnet and Tempo, with Solana support planned later.
- National Bank of Canada, ATB Financial, Wealthsimple and Shopify support CADD.
- Alberta Treasury Board and Finance approved CADD under Canada’s regulatory framework.
Base has added CADD, Canada’s first regulated Canadian dollar stablecoin, giving Canadian crypto users a local-currency option for on-chain payments, trading and settlement.
CADD was launched by Tetra Digital Group on May 4, 2026. The stablecoin is pegged 1:1 to the Canadian dollar and backed by CAD reserves. It received approval from Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, placing it within Canada’s regulated financial framework.
The token is supported by several major Canadian institutions, including National Bank of Canada, ATB Financial, Wealthsimple and Shopify. Tetra Trust, connected to Tetra Digital Group, is Canada’s first regulated digital asset custodian.
Another stablecoin joined Base last week
CADD – the first regulated Canadian dollar stablecoin
The world is moving onchain pic.twitter.com/FX1E6Ij3af
— Base (@base) May 11, 2026
For Canadian crypto users, CADD addresses a common market problem. Many users previously had to convert Canadian dollars into U.S. dollars before using USD-backed stablecoins such as USDC or USDT. CADD creates a direct Canadian dollar route into digital asset markets.
CADD Launches on Base, Ethereum and Tempo
CADD is live on Base, Ethereum mainnet and Tempo. A Solana integration is planned for a later phase.
Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2 network, offers lower transaction fees than Ethereum mainnet while using Ethereum’s settlement layer. That makes it useful for stablecoin transfers, smaller payments and higher-volume transactions.
The addition of CADD gives Base a regulated Canadian dollar asset at a time when stablecoin activity continues expanding across layer-2 networks. For users, this may reduce friction when moving between Canadian dollars and on-chain applications.
Ethereum mainnet remains useful for institutional records and higher-value settlement. Base is expected to support faster and cheaper transactions for users who need regular on-chain transfers.
Tempo support gives CADD another route for payment-focused blockchain activity. The planned Solana launch would add access to a network known for low-cost and high-speed stablecoin transfers.
Canadian Institutions Back Stablecoin Rollout
CADD’s institutional support is a key part of the launch. National Bank of Canada, ATB Financial, Wealthsimple and Shopify are connected to the project, giving it visibility across banking, investment, payments and commerce.
The stablecoin has already been tested for moving funds between National Bank of Canada and Wealthsimple. That test showed how a regulated Canadian dollar token could be used for institutional transfers and financial workflows.
For traders, CADD may create more direct CAD liquidity in crypto markets. It could reduce reliance on U.S. dollar conversions and narrow some of the friction that Canadian users face when entering or exiting digital assets.
For businesses, a regulated CAD stablecoin could support faster settlement, payment automation and cross-platform transfers. Shopify’s involvement also brings attention to possible future commerce use cases.
CADD is not designed as a speculative crypto asset. Its main function is to represent Canadian dollars on-chain while maintaining a 1:1 reserve-backed structure.
Canada’s Stablecoin Rules Continue Developing
CADD arrives as Canada’s stablecoin policy continues to take shape. The Stablecoin Act passed in March 2026 as part of Bill C-15, creating a federal framework for fiat-backed stablecoins.
Under that framework, the Bank of Canada is expected to serve as the main regulator and supervisor for stablecoin issuers. Full implementation is expected later, with regulations projected to take effect in late 2027.
Because Canada uses both federal and provincial financial oversight, CADD may still face further steps before broad national adoption. Alberta approval gives the project a regulated starting point, but wider acceptance may require more coordination across regulators.
Canada also saw another stablecoin development in May. Visa Canada and Wealthsimple announced a pilot using USDC for settlement obligations, bringing Visa’s global stablecoin settlement program into the Canadian market.
Together, CADD and the Visa-Wealthsimple pilot show that stablecoin use in Canada is moving from theory into regulated testing and early deployment. The next measures for CADD will include reserve transparency, user adoption, trading volume on Base, and whether the planned Solana integration launches on schedule.
