Colombia Pension Fund Adds Crypto As Canada Weighs Crypto ATM Ban

Porvenir adds Bitcoin exposure via IBIT as Canada considers banning crypto ATMs to curb fraud and laundering risks

Colombia’s largest pension fund manager has launched a crypto-linked portfolio, while Canada is weighing a crypto ATM ban.

The moves show two different policy paths as digital assets enter pensions, payment firms, public portfolios, and fraud controls across major markets.

Colombia Pension Fund Adds Bitcoin Exposure

Porvenir, Colombia’s largest pension fund manager, has launched a crypto investment portfolio for voluntary pension accounts.

The product gives users indirect Bitcoin exposure through BlackRock’s IBIT.

The portfolio requires a minimum investment of 100,000 Colombian pesos, or about $25. Users must also complete a risk assessment before joining the product.

Porvenir said the product is aimed at younger investors between 18 and 45. The company also cited rising crypto use across Latin America as part of the reason.

WuBlockchain Weekly: Colombia’s Largest Pension Fund Launches Crypto Portfolio, Canada Proposes Crypto ATM Ban, PayPal Establishes Standalone Crypto Division, EU Expands Crypto Sanctions, Web3 Gaming Sector Contracts Sharply. pic.twitter.com/Sb7a7yIlJ0

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) May 1, 2026

According to the report, Latin America now has about 79 million crypto users. That figure marks a 64% year-on-year rise in the region.

Other local pension firms, including Protección and Skandia, have launched similar products. These firms have framed them as long-term asset allocation tools for voluntary pension users.

The development follows another similar report involving a public fund and crypto-linked assets.

Canada’s sovereign wealth fund AIMCo disclosed a $219 million stake in MicroStrategy, which holds large Bitcoin reserves.

Canada Weighs Crypto ATM Ban

Canada is considering a ban on cryptocurrency ATMs as part of its fraud control plans. The proposal appeared in the country’s 2026 Spring Economic Update.

The government said crypto ATMs have become a key channel for fraud and money laundering. It said scammers use the machines to move funds from victims.

Canada currently has nearly 4,000 crypto ATMs. The report said this is the highest per capita rate in the world.

FINTRAC analysis found that crypto ATMs are used for laundering and fraud-related outflows. The agency tracks financial crime and suspicious transactions in Canada.

Canadian police also warned about crypto asset recovery scams using the RCMP logo. These scams target people who have already lost money.

In one case, a resident lost about 5,000 Canadian dollars in a remote work scam. The person later received a fake recovery offer after submitting a false RCMP form.

Police said the RCMP does not contact people about detected crypto accounts. It also does not request payments for fraud investigations.

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Regulation, Crypto Firms, And Market Data Move Together

The U.S. CLARITY Act remains under close watch after limited public progress in April. May is viewed as an important period for the bill.

More than 100 crypto groups signed an open letter last week. They urged the Senate Banking Committee to hold a review hearing.

The Trump administration is also advancing plans for a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. A reported proposal may classify about 200,000 seized Bitcoin as national reserve assets.

The European Union has adopted its 20th sanctions against Russia. The package includes broad crypto restrictions and bans Russian crypto service providers.

PayPal has announced a new business structure with a standalone crypto division. The unit includes PYUSD, Braintree, and payment processing services.

Robinhood reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $1.07 billion, up 15% year-on-year. Its crypto revenue fell 47% to $134 million.

The Web3 gaming sector also contracted sharply, according to Caladan. The report said about 93% of projects are now defunct.