Coinbase reopens access to users in India after a two-year hiatus

Key points:

• Coinbase has resumed registration in India for the first time in two years and is once again allowing local users to trade cryptocurrencies.
• Full fiat deposits and withdrawals are planned for 2026: the company is rebuilding its infrastructure and working with regulators.

After more than a two-year hiatus, Coinbase has officially returned to the Indian market, reopening registration and cryptocurrency trading for local users. The exchange was forced to suspend operations in 2022 after breaking ties with the local instant payment system UPI, which blocked the ability to purchase crypto assets for rupees. Now the company is gradually rebuilding its presence, expanding its team, and establishing dialogue with regulators.

According to TechCrunch, the Coinbase app became available to Indian customers in October through early access, and registration opened to everyone in December. Coinbase APAC chief John O’Loglen announced at India Blockchain Week that at this stage, users can only trade digital assets, while fiat transactions are planned to launch in 2026. This feature will allow users to load rupees into the app and buy cryptocurrency directly — an option that has not been available since 2022.

India seizes $286 million in crypto assets and arrests the founder of the OctaFX Ponzi scheme

The investigation became one of the largest operations to combat money laundering and illegal trading on Forex

Читать дальше

How Coinbase returned to the market

Since late 2023, the company has been actively building relationships with authorities, registering with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit to comply with AML requirements and monitor suspicious transactions. This registration was a key step toward resuming operations. Official cooperation allowed Coinbase to remove restrictions and return to expansion in the region.

Despite strict regulation, interest in cryptocurrencies in India remains high. For the third year in a row, the country ranks first in the world in terms of digital asset adoption, ahead of the US, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Brazil. TRM Labs notes that trading activity remains high, although the country’s tax policy — a 30% income tax and 1% TDS on each transaction — has significantly reduced the volume of transactions on local platforms.

India is also preparing to launch a state-backed digital rupee on the blockchain, guaranteed by the Reserve Bank, which should increase transparency and speed up payments.