Will India Ban Bitcoin, and Ethereum?

Indian regulators have reportedly supported banning private cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) and pushing for the use of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). This development reinforces India’s CBDC push, which started years ago.

The country’s financial institutions argue that CBDCs offer safer and more efficient alternatives for promoting financial inclusion. In their opinion, the risks posed by private cryptos, including stablecoins, far outweigh their potential benefits.

Indian Authorities Champion for CBDCs

According to sources close to the matter, Indian regulators, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), have consulted widely with the government as it prepares a discussion paper on the regulation of digital currencies in the country. These consultations have resulted in a consensus advocating for the prohibition of private cryptocurrencies.

“CBDCs can do whatever cryptos do. In fact, CBDCs have more benefits than cryptos, minus the risks associated with private cryptocurrencies,” Hindustan Times reported, citing one government official, who requested anonymity.

The anonymous source also explained that private cryptocurrencies’ volatility and instability make them unsuitable for long-term use. This applies to India in particular, where financial stability and inclusion are high on the agenda.

However, the comparison of CBDCs with Bitcoin and Ethereum has been criticized by industry leaders, including Sumit Gupta, the CEO of Indian crypto exchange CoinDCX.

“I humbly disagree with the above statement. CBDCs and crypto assets serve different purposes and shouldn’t be viewed as competitors. Instead, they complement each other. By leveraging advancements in the crypto space, we can enhance the efficiency, security, and inclusivity of CBDCs, making them more adaptable for real-world applications,” Gupta wrote on X (Twitter).

Read more: Crypto Regulation: What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks?

The criticism also extended to stablecoins, often advertised as a more stable alternative to traditional cryptos. However, Indian regulators are skeptical about this purported stability, emphasizing their link to the same risks as private cryptocurrencies.

Despite these views, a final decision on whether to completely ban private cryptocurrencies in India is pending further consultations. Indian officials, however, are clear that the government has the legal framework to impose stricter regulations or even an outright ban. In this regard, they cite the G20’s recently adopted guidelines.

In September 2023, India, as part of the G20, endorsed the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Financial Stability Board (FSB) synthesis paper. These encouraged global cooperation on crypto regulation. Though the paper sets a minimum threshold for regulation, it allows individual countries to adopt stricter measures, including a complete prohibition of private cryptocurrencies.

“The IMF-FSB paper does not stop any country from adopting higher restrictions, including a complete ban,” said a second official familiar with the discussions.

Recognizing the Utility of Blockchain Technology

At the same time, the Indian government recognizes the utility of blockchain technology, the underlying infrastructure of cryptocurrencies. Regulators have pointed out that blockchain can be applied to various socially beneficial projects. These include tokenizing government securities, providing end-use credit to disadvantaged sections, and facilitating targeted subsidies.

India’s push towards a CBDC has been in motion since November 2022, when the RBI launched the digital rupee (e₹) in a wholesale pilot project. The retail version followed a month later, with over 5 million users and 16 banks participating as of October 2024.

The RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das, recently emphasized that CBDCs have the potential to promote financial inclusion by ensuring that funds are delivered to the right recipients.

Pilot programs, such as the one launched by the State Bank of India (SBI), are already testing CBDCs’ potential. In these states, loans to tenant farmers are being programmed for specific agricultural inputs, ensuring that the funds are used as intended.

India’s central bank believes that the digital rupee has immense potential for both domestic transactions and cross-border payments. In the coming years, the government plans to expand the scope of CBDCs, using data collected from pilot programs to fine-tune their implementation.

This shift aligns with India’s broader regulatory moves, particularly in tightening control over digital assets. Binance, for instance, has recently faced an $86 million tax liability in India. This marked the government’s intensified scrutiny of the crypto sector.

Read More: Digital Rupee Tutorial — How to Use India’s CBDC e-Rupee

These actions indicate that Indian regulators are focusing beyond creating a CBDC framework. They are also cracking down on potential tax evasion and regulatory loopholes in the existing cryptocurrency market.