Coinbase Starts Onboarding Users Again in India, Plans for Fiat On-Ramp Next Year

After more than two years of uncertainty, Coinbase onboarding users in India has officially resumed, marking a major shift in the crypto exchange’s strategy for one of the world’s largest digital markets. With a fiat on-ramp planned for 2026, Coinbase is positioning itself for a stronger, more compliant comeback.

Coinbase Reopens Registrations in India After Two-Year Pause

Crypto exchange Coinbase has reopened user registrations in India, allowing residents to sign up and make crypto-to-crypto trades on its mobile app. This development follows a long hiatus triggered by regulatory challenges surrounding India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in 2022, when the company was forced to disable local payment support days after launch.

The reboot is part of a carefully structured return. Speaking at India Blockchain Week (IBW), Coinbase APAC Director John O’Loghlen confirmed the company’s next milestone: a fiat on-ramp in 2026, enabling users to deposit Indian rupees and buy crypto directly.

Why Coinbase Left – and Why It’s Coming Back Now

In 2022, Coinbase became entangled in a dispute with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which publicly stated it had no relationship with the exchange. By 2023, Coinbase fully ceased operations for Indian customers and instructed them to liquidate their accounts.

O’Loghlen described the withdrawal as difficult but necessary:

“We had millions of customers in India… and we took a very clear stance to off-board those customers entirely… because we wanted a clean slate.”

This reset paved the way for a new compliance-first approach. Coinbase registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) earlier this year and quietly began onboarding users via early access in October. As of today, the app is available to all users nationwide.

The Regulatory Roadblocks Still Ahead

Despite its cautious return, Coinbase faces a challenging environment:

India’s Crypto Tax Policies

30% tax on all crypto income
No loss offset, even across years
1% TDS (tax deducted at source) on every transaction

These policies discourage active trading and have pushed millions of users towards offshore or peer-to-peer markets.

O’Loghlen says Coinbase is hopeful that regulations will soften:

The company hopes taxation will become “less burdensome for people to hold digital assets.”

Related:

Coinbase Doubles Down on India’s Tech Talent and Exchange Ecosystem

Even during its operational pause, Coinbase remained deeply invested in India’s crypto ecosystem. Through Coinbase Ventures, the company increased its investment in local exchange CoinDCX at a $2.45B valuation.

Coinbase also plans to strengthen its 500+ employee base in India with new hires focused on global and domestic markets, a signal of long-term commitment.

O’Loghlen emphasized Coinbase’s goal of becoming India’s most trusted exchange:

“We’re not going to get out to the masses if you can’t have a really nice UI, a trusted experience… like Zepto or Flipkart.”

Why India Still Matters for Coinbase

India is the world’s second-largest internet market, with hundreds of millions of young, tech-savvy users. Though crypto adoption has slowed due to taxation and regulatory ambiguity, user interest remains strong.

What’s changing is who can legally serve those users, and Coinbase is positioning itself as the compliant, trustworthy alternative.

The upcoming 2026 fiat on-ramp could be the catalyst that reopens the Indian market to global crypto participation.

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