Coinbase Restarts India Operations, Opens Crypto-to-Crypto Trading; Rupee On-Ramp Planned for 2026

Coinbase has reopened registrations and resumed crypto-to-crypto trading in India after a two-year suspension, following an early-access phase that began in October and completion of Financial Intelligence Unit registration in March 2025. The restart includes asset transfers, Simple Trade and Advanced Trade interfaces, and full access to Coinbase Wallet. Coinbase closed older India-linked accounts tied to overseas entities and rebuilt local operations with new hires (including India marketing head Karan Malik) and regulatory engagement — international policy adviser Katie Mitch has met India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance. Fiat on-ramp support for the Indian rupee (INR) remains suspended; Coinbase says it plans a regulated bank-linked INR-to-crypto integration in 2026. The company also noted investments in Indian platforms and wider product expansion, including decentralised trading in other markets. For traders: immediate effects are increased access for Indian users to crypto-to-crypto markets and potential improvement in onshore liquidity for regional pairs; significant retail fiat flows and deposit volumes will likely wait until the INR ramp is live. Regulatory headwinds persist — India’s tax regime (30% tax on gains and 1% TDS on transactions) remains a constraint that could limit retail trading volumes in the near term.