Crypto Exchanges Race for Indian Market — Who’s Next After Binance and Coinbase?

Core Insights - India is opening its market to global crypto exchanges, with Coinbase re-entering after Binance's successful relaunch, indicating a shift in regulatory stance towards crypto [1][7]. Company Developments - Coinbase initially launched in India in April 2022 but had to suspend operations shortly after due to regulatory pressure, halting services by September 2023 [2][3]. - After registering with India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Coinbase has resumed onboarding new users in October 2023, marking its first significant activity in the market since 2023 [3][7]. - Kraken is planning its return to India after previously shutting down operations, actively seeking regulatory approvals [5][6]. Market Opportunities - The Indian crypto market is seen as a $15 billion opportunity, driven by a large, digitally-savvy young population, and has ranked first in crypto adoption according to Chainalysis for three consecutive years [9]. - Other exchanges like Bybit and Bitget are also eyeing the Indian market, with Bybit having restored access after a penalty and Bitget expecting to receive FIU approval by 2026 [5][8]. Future Expectations - Coinbase's trading is currently limited to crypto pairs, with local currency support anticipated to launch in 2026 [4].