Mercuryo Waives Crypto On-Ramp Fees for New MetaMask Users in Canada

Mercuryo is waiving on-ramp fees for new MetaMask users in Canada, targeting a specific promotional window between September and October 2026. This move highlights the intensifying competition among infrastructure providers to lower entry barriers for retail users in North American markets, using localized promotions to capture market share during high-visibility cultural events like the NHL season.

What was announced

The promotion is a limited-time offer specifically designed for new MetaMask users within the Canadian market. From September 30, 2026, to October 31, 2026, these users will be exempt from Mercuryo’s standard fees on their first three on-ramp transactions. The offer covers all available digital tokens supported within the MetaMask mobile application and browser extension.

To qualify for the zero-fee incentive, transactions must be conducted via credit card, debit card, or Apple Pay. The campaign supports both US dollars (USD) and Canadian dollars (CAD). Mercuryo has established specific transaction limits for this initiative, applying the waiver to purchases valued between C$32 and C$483.

While Mercuryo is removing its own service fees for this period, users should note that standard MetaMask platform fees and blockchain network fees still apply to all eligible transactions. The timing of the campaign is strategically aligned with the commencement of the NHL hockey season, a period of high consumer engagement in Canada. This initiative aims to simplify the onboarding process for newcomers to the digital token space by reducing the initial cost of acquiring assets through a familiar, integrated interface. By combining various payment solutions into a single interface, the platform seeks to facilitate more efficient capital flow within the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.

"MetaMask is building a new kind of consumer financial experience, and we're delighted to partner with them to give people more choice, flexibility and control over how they manage their money."

Arthur Firstov, Chief Business Officer at Mercuryo.

The companies involved

Mercuryo operates as a global payments infrastructure platform, positioning itself as a bridge between traditional fiat currencies and the Web3 ecosystem. The company focuses on providing a suite of payment solutions that integrate directly into on-chain environments, specializing in capital flow efficiency within the DeFi sector. Mercuryo has established itself as an innovator by consolidating various payment methods into a single, intuitive interface, aiming to reduce the friction typically associated with digital token acquisition for newcomers.

MetaMask is one of the most widely recognized self-custody wallets in the digital asset space. It serves as a primary gateway for users to interact with decentralized applications and manage digital tokens across various blockchain networks. Available as both a mobile app and a browser extension, MetaMask has become a foundational tool for the decentralized web, offering users direct control over their digital assets without the need for traditional intermediaries.

Both companies have significant footprints in the fintech reporting landscape. Mercuryo has been the subject of 14 previous reports by FF News, reflecting its active role in payment infrastructure, while MetaMask has appeared in 11 stories. Their partnership represents a collaboration between a major wallet provider and a specialized infrastructure layer to enhance the retail user experience through seamless integration.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has closely tracked Mercuryo’s recent efforts to expand its footprint and optimize its platform. In September 2026, the company collaborated with Tangem to launch a zero-fee USDC on-ramp for Stellar users, demonstrating a recurring strategy of using fee waivers to drive adoption. This followed a significant UX overhaul that boosted crypto purchase conversion by 75%, highlighting the firm’s focus on streamlining the user journey. Additionally, FF News reported on Mercuryo’s H1 2026 data, which showed that stablecoins dominate crypto purchases, accounting for 60% of transaction value. The publication also covered broader ecosystem shifts, such as the Zano Hard Fork 6, which impacted DeFi privacy and cross-chain bridging.

What this means

This move signals a shift in the Web3 onboarding wars, where the focus is moving from technical capability to aggressive retail acquisition through localized incentives. By targeting Canada during the NHL season, Mercuryo and MetaMask are treating crypto on-ramping like a mainstream consumer product, using seasonal marketing to lower the psychological and financial barriers to entry. This puts pressure on other infrastructure providers to justify their fee structures in a market where "zero-fee" is increasingly used as a standard promotional tool. The critical question for the sector remains whether these temporary waivers can convert one-time users into long-term participants once standard fees return.