Coinbase mounts a cautious comeback in India, two years after exit

Helen Partz 2 minutes ago Coinbase mounts a cautious comeback in India, two years after exit Coinbase has reopened India app registrations, with local fiat on-ramps planned for 2026 following a rocky exit more than two years ago. Listen 0:00 News COINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEED Major US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is returning to India after a two-year absence from the market. Coinbase has resumed app registrations in India as it prepares to roll out local fiat on-ramp s in 2026, Coinbase APAC director John O’Loghlen announced at India Blockchain Week (IBW), according to a Sunday report by TechCrunch. Coinbase’s return to India comes more than two years after it ceased local services in September 2023, following a troubled debut of its local exchange launched in 2022. “We had millions of customers in India, historically, and we took a very clear stance to off-board those customers entirely from overseas entities, where they were domiciled and regulated. Because we wanted to kind of burn the boats, have a clean slate here,” O’Loghlen said. Crypto-to-crypto trades available immediately As Coinbase resumes customer onboarding in India, users can immediately execute crypto-to-crypto trades, according to a report by TechCrunch. The exchange initially began onboarding users through an early-access program in October, around the time it hired Karan Malik as its India marketing lead. Source: Coinbase India marketing lead Karan Malik Malik had previously overseen marketing for last year’s IBW event, where Coinbase served as a platinum sponsor this year. “Last year, I was leading the charge and building the marketing and brand playbook for IBW. This year, I’m bringing Coinbase to the party,” the exec said. Coinbase ramps up push in India Coinbase has been actively working to rebuild its relationship with the Indian government recently. In early December, Coinbase’s international policy adviser Katie Mitch represented the exchange before India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance. “We are optimistic on the potential for forward-looking VDA regulation in India,” she said in an X post last Thursday. In another development last week, Priyank Kharge, IT minister for Karnataka, signed a memorandum of understanding with Coinbase India to deepen the state’s leadership in blockchain innovation and cybersecurity. Source: Karnataka IT minister Priyank Kharge Through the collaboration, the Karnataka government will collaborate with the exchange on startup incubation on Coinbase-backed Base protocol and speed up real-world applications of blockchain technology, the minister said. Related: Coinbase invests in Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX at $2.45B valuation As previously mentioned, Coinbase secured a license with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit in March 2025, positioning the exchange for a potential launch in the country. In August, Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal also met with Karnataka’s IT minister Kharge to explore collaboration on developer tools, cybersecurity and blockchain in governance. Cointelegraph approached Coinbase for comment regarding its relaunch in India, but had not received a response by the time of publication. Magazine: When privacy and AML laws conflict: Crypto projects’ impossible choice # Coinbase # Cryptocurrencies # Business # India # Cryptocurrency Exchange # Regulation # Companies # Policy Add reaction