Coinbase’s Return to India

Coinbase is making its comeback to the Indian market after a two-year absence, reopening app registrations. The company is set to launch local fiat on-ramps in 2026, as announced by John O’Loghlen, Coinbase’s APAC director, during the India Blockchain Week (IBW).

Previously, Coinbase halted local services in September 2023 following challenges during its initial launch in 2022.

“We had millions of customers in India historically, and we took a very clear stance to off-board those customers entirely from overseas entities…”
“Historically, we had millions of Indian customers, and we made a conscious decision to sever ties with overseas operations to start afresh.”

Immediate Crypto-to-Crypto Trades

As Coinbase resumes onboarding in India, users can execute crypto-to-crypto trades right away. The onboarding began in October through an early-access program with the recruitment of Karan Malik as the marketing head in India.

“I was leading the charge and building the marketing and brand playbook for IBW… this year, I’m bringing Coinbase to the party.”

Strengthening Ties with Government

Coinbase aims to revitalize its relationship with the Indian government. In early December, Katie Mitch represented the firm in front of India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance expressing optimism for future regulations on Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs).

Last week, IT Minister Priyank Kharge signed a memorandum with Coinbase to enhance blockchain innovation and cybersecurity in Karnataka.

“We are optimistic about the potential for forward-looking VDA regulation in India,”
“We are hopeful regarding the advancement of regulations for virtual digital assets in India.”

The partnership will foster startup incubation on Chromebook-based Coinbase protocols and accelerate blockchain technology applications.

Previously, Coinbase had acquired a license from India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in March 2025, laying groundwork for operations in India.