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

Main US cryptocurrency trade Coinbase is returning to India after a two-year absence from the market.

Coinbase has resumed app registrations in India because it prepares to roll out native fiat on-ramps in 2026, Coinbase APAC director John O’Loghlen introduced at India Blockchain Week (IBW), in line with a Sunday report by TechCrunch.

Coinbase’s return to India comes greater than two years after it ceased native providers in September 2023, following a troubled debut of its native trade launched in 2022.

“We had tens of millions of consumers in India, traditionally, and we took a really clear stance to off-board these clients solely from abroad entities, the place they have been domiciled and controlled. As a result of we wished to sort of burn the boats, have a clear slate right here,” O’Loghlen mentioned.

Crypto-to-crypto trades accessible instantly

As Coinbase resumes buyer onboarding in India, customers can instantly execute crypto-to-crypto trades, in line with the report by TechCrunch.

The trade initially started onboarding customers by means of an early-access program in October, across the time it employed Karan Malik as its India advertising lead.

Malik had beforehand overseen advertising for final yr’s IBW occasion, the place Coinbase served as a platinum sponsor this yr.

“Final yr, I used to be main the cost and constructing the advertising and model playbook for IBW. This yr, I’m bringing Coinbase to the get together,” the exec mentioned.

Coinbase ramps up push in India

Coinbase has been actively working to rebuild its relationship with the Indian authorities. In early December, Coinbase’s worldwide coverage adviser Katie Mitch represented the trade earlier than India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance.

“We’re optimistic on the potential for forward-looking VDA regulation in India,” she mentioned in an X submit final Thursday.

In one other improvement final week, Priyank Kharge, IT minister for Karnataka, signed a memorandum of understanding with Coinbase India to deepen the state’s management in blockchain innovation and cybersecurity.

Via the collaboration, the Karnataka authorities will collaborate with the trade on startup incubation on Coinbase-backed Base protocol and pace up real-world functions of blockchain expertise, the minister mentioned.

Associated: Coinbase invests in Indian crypto trade CoinDCX at $2.45B valuation

As beforehand talked about, Coinbase secured a license with India’s Monetary Intelligence Unit in March 2025, positioning the trade for a possible launch within the nation. In August, Coinbase chief authorized officer Paul Grewal additionally met with Karnataka’s IT minister Kharge to discover collaboration on developer instruments, cybersecurity and blockchain in governance.

Cointelegraph approached Coinbase for remark concerning its relaunch in India, however had not acquired a response by the point of publication.