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-ramps in 2026, Coinbase APAC director John O’Loghlen announced at India Blockchain Week (IBW).
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. O’Loghlen explained the strategic decision: "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."
Crypto-to-Crypto Trades Available Immediately
As Coinbase resumes customer onboarding in India, users can immediately execute crypto-to-crypto trades. 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.
Malik had previously overseen marketing for last year’s IBW event, where Coinbase served as a platinum sponsor this year. He commented on his role: "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."
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 advisor Katie Mitch represented the exchange before India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance. She stated in an X post: "We are optimistic on the potential for forward-looking VDA regulation in India."
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.
Through this collaboration, the Karnataka government will work with the exchange on startup incubation on the Coinbase-backed Base protocol and accelerate the real-world applications of blockchain technology.
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.