Tag Archives: india

A junior finance minister told the Indian parliament on Tuesday that the government has collected about $7.4 million in TDS on crypto transfers since July 1.  Given the low numbers, the government may consider the local crypto industry’s demand to reduce the tax to a reasonable level – in the range of 0.01% to 0.05%. Low TDS Collection In a written reply in the upper house of the Indian Parliament, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary informed that the Indian...

A prominent Indian cryptocurrency trade body – Bharat Web3 Association (BWA) – has red-flagged the high taxes and regulatory uncertainty in its draft of concerns and recommendations submitted to the Indian Finance Ministry, which is holding consultations in the run-up to the budget for 2023-24. A meeting between the BWA representatives and the Indian finance ministry officials, particularly with officials of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), is expected to take place...

The initial excitement among Indian bankers over the launch of a central bank-sponsored digital rupee seems to be fizzling out. They find it adding to their paper and accounting work without bringing any significant benefits over the existing procedures. Bankers point out that the real benefit of e-rupee may be in the retail and consumer sectors. Bankers Not Enthused It has been one month since the launch of the e-rupee for the wholesale segment, but bankers don’t seem to be...

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has unveiled its new pilot program that will see various consumers testing out the latest version of its digital rupee. A CBDC (central bank digital currency), the digital rupee is slated to be used for purchases of goods and items amongst everyday residents. The RBI Is Boosting the Use of Its Digital Rupee Pratik Gauri – co-founder and CEO of 5ire, a blockchain company – explained in a recent interview: I believe blockchain and decentralization are necessary...

India’s largest and most advanced government-run hospital, more popularly known by its acronym AIIMS (The All India Institute of Medical Sciences), suffered a hack of its servers on November 23.  Even as they remained out of order for the sixth consecutive day, a new twist emerged in the ongoing multi-agency investigation and restoration effort.  A leading news agency on Monday claimed that Rs 200 million ($25 million) in ransom has been asked by the attackers to restore...

The quick downfall of FTX with an $8-10 billion deficit in its balance sheet has left the broader cryptocurrency market reeling under its cascading effects. Besides Proof of Reserves (PoR) and Reserves to Liability (R2L) Ratio data, Indian crypto exchanges, battling low volume caused by high taxation and an unfriendly regulatory environment, have responded to the evolving situation with some fresh initiatives. Polygon CEO’s Self-Custody Buzz Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal was...

Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) has all but given up on India. Pointing out the 1% transaction tax that came into force on 1 July 2022, CZ said it makes crypto trading unviable in India. Speaking at the TechCrunch Session: Crypto 2022 on November 17 in Miami, CZ further pointed out that Binance is engaged with blockchain associations and influential persons in India to present the industry’s stance before the policymakers, a TechCrunch report said. CZ Red Flags 1% Transaction...

India’s anti-crypto policy came into sharp focus at the prestigious Singapore Fintech Festival (2-4 November), where Binance CEO flagged high tax rates as undoing the fledgling crypto business in the country.  With over 60,000 participants and 850 speakers representing top global financial services, banks, and policymaking bodies, Singapore Fintech Festival (SFF) is one of the most awaited events in the digital assets and fintech industry.  CZ on Indian Crypto Taxes Binance...

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is considering the release of a new digital version of the rupee, the national currency of India. The RBI Could Soon Unveil the Digital Rupee In a document explaining the process, the RBI stated the following: E-rupee or digital rupee will provide an additional option to the currently available forms of money. It is substantially not different from banknotes, but being digital, it is likely to be easier, faster, and cheaper. The RBI says...

Indian investigation agencies are probing three crypto exchanges for their roles in illegal drug trade transactions after they were alerted by the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which has zeroed in on nearly 200 such transactions. These financial dealings for suspected drug deals in Nigeria, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands were reportedly carried out through three Indian digital asset management companies, a report in the Economic Times said.  Illegal...