Is India preparing to ban cryptocurrency trading?

Is a new turnaround on the agenda in India? After changing its tune several times, the Indian government is reportedly considering an outright ban on cryptocurrency trading.

In 2020, India has shown itself to be particularly indecisive on the legislation applying to the cryptocurrency sector. The year had started with good news for local users: the Indian central bank said in January that cryptocurrencies were not banned. In March, the Supreme Court even overturned a central bank ruling , which specifically banned cryptocurrency trading.

But the lull had been short-lived for traders. In June, we learned that the Indian Ministry of Finance was preparing a law to ban cryptocurrencies as a whole . It planned to threaten Bitcoin Code users with up to 10 years in prison, and a fine of up to $ 3.2 million. And it is this more restrictive current that once again seems to have the upper hand in the start of the 2020 school year.

Illegal cryptocurrency trading in India?

New information reported by Bloomberg shows indeed that it is now the trading cryptomonnaie would be targeted again, 6 months after being authorized . The bill must be considered before being sent to Parliament. The government would like to encourage blockchain and the technological developments it can bring… But not the cryptocurrencies linked to it. If this law is approved, it could affect 1.7 million local users , who had grown in number since India showed signs of opening up to cryptocurrencies.

The crypto community in expectation

According to Bloomberg, the advance of last March had indeed sparked a cryptocurrency rush in India. Trading had increased by + 450% , especially on P2P exchanges. Paxful reported growth of + 833% in India from January to May 2020. The opening had also not escaped Binance, which had started its expansion in the Indian market . In addition, the cryptocurrency giant had joined a local association last August in order to stand together against the reluctance of lawmakers.

This bill could therefore throw India’s crypto community backwards . It also shows the dilemma of some countries, which wish to promote the blockchain without giving too much ease to cryptocurrencies. China has been playing this balancing act for several years now. But if the months of freedom for Indian traders have shown one thing, it is that the public is now interested in cryptocurrencies, especially in an uncertain economic environment . It is therefore doubtful that a ban on cryptocurrency trading is effective in India.