Coinbase Relaunches India Operations After Two-Year Pause

Coinbase has officially relaunched cryptocurrency trading services in India, introducing direct Indian rupee (INR) support more than two years after regulatory challenges forced the company to suspend its initial market entry.

Summary:

Coinbase now supports direct INR deposits and withdrawals through India’s banking system.
The exchange has registered with FIU-IND and is operating under India’s crypto compliance framework.
The relaunch marks Coinbase’s most significant expansion into one of the world’s largest crypto markets.

Coinbase Returns to India With Full Fiat Support

The U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange announced on May 31 that Indian users can now directly deposit and withdraw funds in Indian rupees, marking a major milestone in the company’s renewed push into the country.

The launch represents a sharp departure from Coinbase’s troubled 2022 debut, which was effectively halted within days after regulatory concerns emerged around its integration with India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) network.

This time, Coinbase is returning with a localized infrastructure designed specifically for the Indian market, enabling seamless fiat-to-crypto transactions through domestic banking channels.

Direct INR Banking Services Go Live

A centerpiece of the relaunch is support for India’s Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), allowing users to move funds directly between Coinbase and local bank accounts.

The addition eliminates the need for many traders to rely on peer-to-peer transactions or third-party payment intermediaries, which have historically been common workarounds in India’s crypto market.

Coinbase has also launched dedicated INR-denominated order books aimed at improving liquidity and reducing currency conversion costs for domestic traders.

To attract new users in a highly competitive market, the exchange said INR deposits will be offered with zero fees at launch.

Advanced Trading Products Target Growing Market

Beyond spot trading, Coinbase is introducing a broader suite of products tailored to both retail and professional investors.

The platform’s rollout includes access to Coinbase Advanced, featuring professional trading tools, TradingView-powered charting, and developer-focused APIs. The company is also expanding access to perpetual futures contracts tied to major digital assets, providing Indian traders with more sophisticated trading strategies.

The move positions Coinbase to compete directly with established domestic exchanges and other global platforms seeking to expand their presence in India.

Compliance Strategy Clears Regulatory Hurdles

A major difference between Coinbase’s previous attempt and its current relaunch is its regulatory approach.

The company has registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND), bringing its operations within the country’s regulatory framework for virtual digital asset service providers.

As part of its compliance obligations, Coinbase will implement India’s existing crypto taxation requirements, including Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) rules and reporting standards.

The registration provides a clearer regulatory foundation for the exchange’s operations and reflects the broader trend of global crypto firms adapting to India’s evolving digital asset regulations.

India Remains a Key Growth Market

Coinbase’s return underscores the strategic importance of India, which remains one of the largest and fastest-growing markets for cryptocurrency adoption and blockchain development.

Beyond exchange services, Coinbase has been actively investing in the country’s digital asset ecosystem. The company is a notable investor in Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX and has supported blockchain development through Base, its Ethereum Layer 2 network.

According to Coinbase, more than 150 Indian startups are currently building on Base, while the company has committed over $1 million to support local developers and blockchain innovation.

As regulatory clarity gradually improves and institutional interest grows, Coinbase’s re-entry signals renewed confidence in India’s long-term role within the global cryptocurrency industry.

The information presented in this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as financial, investment, or trading advice. Coinspress.com does not promote or advocate for any particular investment strategy, asset, or cryptocurrency project. Cryptocurrency markets are highly volatile and unpredictable – always perform your own research and seek guidance from a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.

Author

Alexander Stefanov

Reporter at CoinsPress

Alex is Editor-in-Chief of Coinspress and co-founder of Millennial Media Group, with nearly a decade of experience covering financial markets - crypto first, then everything else. It started in 2016 with Bitcoin. Like most people at the time, he didn't fully understand it - so he kept digging. Blockchain, tokenomics, the projects, the cycles. That curiosity never stopped, and eventually pulled him into traditional markets too: equities, commodities, macro. Not because he left crypto behind, but because you can't properly understand one without the other. What drives him is straightforward: he wants to know why something is happening, not just that it's happening. Most market coverage stops at the headline - price up, price down, here's a chart. Alex finds that kind of reporting actively unhelpful. If you walk away from an article without understanding the mechanism behind the move, what did you actually learn? He holds a degree in Tourism from New Bulgarian University - not the most obvious path into financial markets, but markets have a way of pulling in people who are simply too curious to stay out. He has authored over 200 in-depth analyses and more than 10,000 articles across crypto and traditional finance. He still thinks every day in markets teaches him something new. That's probably why he hasn't stopped.