India | Crypto

India is urging other countries to develop CBDCs, and China is expanding the use of its digital yuan, allowing banks to offer interest on e-CNY wallets. Russia’s Ministry of Justice has proposed new fines for unregistered cryptocurrency miners. This comes after the finance minister raised concerns about the rise in unauthorized mining activities. A draft bill proposed by the ministry would impose a fine of 1.5 million rubles (about $19,000) and up to two years in a labor colony. Illegal mining involving “outsized profits” could see a maximum of five years in prison, 480 hours of forced labor and a fine of up to 2.5 million rubles. Unregistered miners are a growing problem in Russia, where only 30% have registered their operations as of June 19, according to Deputy Minister of Finance Ivan Chebeskov. Read more

India’s RBI has issued a warning that the increasing use of stablecoins may endanger financial stability and trust in money. The central bank emphasized that central bank digital currencies preserve monetary sovereignty while reducing systemic risks from privately issued tokens. The post India’s RBI Warns: CBDCs Must Replace Stablecoins to Prevent Financial Chaos appeared first on Cryptonews.

Only three CBDCs have been successfully launched around the world so far, in Nigeria, the Bahamas and Jamaica, although many jurisdictions are considering it. The Reserve Bank of India has urged countries to focus on central bank digital currencies over privately-issued stablecoins, citing concerns about financial stability. In its December financial stability report, released on Wednesday, the RBI argued that CBDCs preserve the “singleness of money and the integrity of the financial system,” and should remain as the “ultimate settlement asset” and the “anchor for trust in money.” “The RBI, therefore, strongly advocates that countries should prioritise central bank digital currencies over privately issued stablecoins to maintain trust in money, preserve financial stability and design next generation payments infrastructure that is faster, cheaper and secure.” Read more

[PRESS RELEASE – Rajkot, India, December 3rd, 2025] DGBhai combines elements of Indian internet culture with Solana’s network capabilities to form a meme-focused Web3 community originating from India. DoGeshBhai ($DGBhai) has launched on the Solana blockchain, introducing India’s meme culture to Web3 through a fast, humour-driven and distinctly desi community project. Drawing on themes from […]

India’s government is considering adopting a stablecoin regulatory framework while the Reserve Bank of India urges a "cautious" approach. The government of India may consider stablecoin regulations in its Economic Survey 2025-2026, while the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) takes a “cautious” approach to crypto and pushes for a central bank digital currency (CBDC), revealing a divergence in policy recommendations.  The government will “present its case” for stablecoins in the annual report published by India’s Ministry of Finance, which outlines key policy recommendations and the state of the economy, business publication MoneyControl reported, citing an official familiar with the matter. However, the central bank continues to urge a “cautious” approach to stablecoins, according to RBI Governor ​Sanjay Malhotra. Speaking at the Delhi School of Economics on Thursday, he said: Read more

A landmark ruling granting XRP property status in India strengthens investor rights and boosts confidence in digital asset ownership. The case began when Rhutikumari, an XRP (XRP) holder, filed a petition against WazirX after the exchange froze her account containing 3,532.30 XRP worth approximately $9,400. The dispute stemmed from WazirX’s response to a July 2024 hack that led to the theft of about $235 million in assets. To manage the losses, WazirX proposed a controversial “socialization of losses” plan, which would distribute the financial impact proportionally across all user accounts. Rhutikumari challenged the plan, arguing that it infringed on her ownership rights. Read more

A Madras High Court judge barred WazirX from reallocating a customer’s XRP holdings and declared cryptocurrency qualifies as property under Indian law, setting a precedent that may reshape how exchanges handle user assets during insolvency proceedings across multiple jurisdictions. As The Times of India reported on Oct. 25, Justice N Anand Venkatesh ruled that the […] The post Landmark ruling in India treats XRP as property, not speculation appeared first on CryptoSlate.

India doesn’t “encourage or discourage” crypto, it “only taxes it,” Minister Piyush Goyal said, while unveiling a new RBI-backed digital currency project. The Indian government expressed renewed skepticism toward cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin as it prepared to launch new digital currency initiatives backed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). India will soon launch an RBI-backed digital currency, India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said in a roundtable during his visit to Qatar, local news agency The Hindu reported on Tuesday. In a separate development, the RBI plans to launch a pilot on deposit tokenization on Wednesday, RBI’s chief general manager of the fintech department, Suvendu Pati, reportedly said. Read more

Experts say India is replacing its "tax-and-tolerate" stance with stricter oversight, favoring state-guaranteed digital currency.

India is reportedly delaying comprehensive crypto regulation as its central bank warns rules could legitimize digital assets and create systemic risks. Indian regulators are reportedly holding back from introducing comprehensive crypto rules over concerns that regulation could legitimize digital assets and create systemic risks. According to a Wednesday Reuters report citing documents the outlet’s reporters viewed, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) maintains the view that containing the risks posed by cryptocurrencies through regulation would be challenging. The document reportedly states that regulating cryptocurrencies would legitimize them and “cause the sector to become systemic.” An outright ban on cryptocurrencies, the document continued, would address the alarming risks of speculative crypto assets but could not tackle peer-to-peer transfers or trades on decentralised exchanges. Read more

What is India’s levy crypto tax, and how does it apply across various types of transactions, such as trading, selling or spending your crypto? For the financial year 2024-2025, Indian tax law treats cryptocurrencies as virtual digital assets (VDAs) under the Income Tax Act, 1961. Section 2(47A) spells out what that means: Any code, number, token or piece of information created through cryptography counts as a VDA. The only exception is money itself — Indian rupees or any other country’s fiat currency. VDAs include cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), as well as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and similar digital tokens. While it is legal to buy, sell and hold VDAs, they are not recognized as valid payment methods.  Read more

Major Asian economies step on the stablecoin throttle, India’s reconsiders punitive crypto tax, and more. Major Asian economies are accelerating their stablecoin initiatives, with notable moves from Japan and China over the past week. Japans top financial regulator is reportedly preparing to approve the countrys first yen-pegged stablecoin within the year. The token, issued by fintech startup JPYC, will be backed by liquid assets such as government bonds.  According to finance outlet Nikkei, JPYC is expected to register as a money-transfer business this month and aims to issue 1 trillion yen (about $6.81 billion) worth of stablecoins over the next three years. Read more

Major Asian economies step on the stablecoin throttle, India’s reconsiders punitive crypto tax, and more. Major Asian economies are accelerating their stablecoin initiatives, with notable moves from Japan and China over the past week. Japans top financial regulator is reportedly preparing to approve the countrys first yen-pegged stablecoin within the year. The token, issued by fintech startup JPYC, will be backed by liquid assets such as government bonds.  According to finance outlet Nikkei, JPYC is expected to register as a money-transfer business this month and aims to issue 1 trillion yen (about $6.81 billion) worth of stablecoins over the next three years. Read more

India’s tax authorities have uncovered nearly 630 crore rupees (approximately $72 million) in undisclosed income from crypto-related transactions, according to an Aug. 5 disclosure by Pankaj Chaudhary, the Minister of State for Finance. The minister, citing figures from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), stated that the numbers reflect discrepancies in tax filings tied […] The post India finds $72 million in hidden crypto income as tax compliance tightens appeared first on CryptoSlate.

Binance and WazirX face scrutiny as India investigates cross-border wallet flows and security risks. Globally, investigative agencies have been acting against illicit crypto funding. India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) is investigating the global cryptocurrency exchange Binance and the Indian exchange WazirX, focusing on potential loopholes in cross-border digital asset transfers. The investigation is driven by concerns about unregulated wallet transactions linked to accounts from Pakistan. Authorities are particularly worried about activities near sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir, where such transfers could be used for illegal funding or money laundering. They are also investigating the funds sent from India to addresses located outside the country. Read more

Hashed Emergent’s Vishal Achanta told Cointelegraph that COINS Act aims to turn India from a “regulatory minefield” into a destination of choice for the crypto community. Web3 venture firm Hashed Emergent and policy advisory group Black Dot have released a model crypto law aimed at clarifying India’s regulatory framework for digital assets. Announced Monday, the Crypto-systems Oversight, Innovation and Strategy (COINS) Act offers a legislative blueprint to support a clearer, industry-led policy environment for crypto in India. The model law is non-binding and does not carry any legal effect unless formally introduced and passed by the Indian parliament.  Still, the framework offers policymakers a blueprint for crypto-related digital rights, including self-custody, protocol access and financial privacy. It also addresses key legal pain points in the country such as punitive taxation, regulatory uncertainty and the absence of a dedicated crypto regulator.  The model law recommends the creation of a new regulato...

As the US and others explore Bitcoin reserves, India faces a pivotal choice: Can BTC boost macro resilience and digital leadership? The global push for Bitcoin as a reserve asset is gaining speed, with the US leading the way by establishing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in January 2025. By March, an executive order was signed to begin structuring the reserve, signaling a shift in policy direction. The Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in the US will be funded by Bitcoin (BTC) confiscated from criminal activities and company bankruptcies. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Marshals Service will manage these assets. This action demonstrates a strategic decision to treat Bitcoin as a long-term store of value, similar to digital gold, rather than a short-term asset.  Read more

A 30% tax on crypto profits in India is only part of the story. Traders face even bigger hurdles under the current tax regime. India’s Union Budget 2025 has made no changes in the existing tax rules for cryptocurrencies, maintaining the provisions of the Finance Act 2022 for virtual digital assets (VDAs) like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).  Under Section 115BBH of the Income Tax Act, profits from selling VDAs are taxed at a flat rate of 30%. You can deduct only the purchase cost, with no allowance for other expenses or losses. Read more

India and US negotiators have begun their latest round of trade talks in New Delhi, focusing on cutting farm and auto tariffs, quota-based concessions and a possible average 10% rate. Officials have said an announcement could come by late June as both sides work to meet Trump’s July 9 deadline. The post India U.S. Tariff Pact Races Toward 10% Deal Before Trump’s July 9 Deadline appeared first on Cryptonews.

The Reserve Bank of India is actively negotiating with central banks from 18 countries to explore cross-border payments using the digital rupee, aiming to boost foreign trade and reduce dependence on US dollar reserves. Domestically, challenges persist, including limited awareness, infrastructure and accessibility issues, security concerns and resistance to change The post India’s Central Bank to Introduce Features for Digital Rupee Pilot and Test Cross-Border Payment: Report appeared first on Cryptonews.