Ahead of the Union Budget, India’s crypto debate resurfaces, moving beyond the outdated ban-vs-innovation binary.

Cryptocurrencies (like Bitcoin and Ethereum) are digital-native assets on public blockchains. There is no issuer, no sovereign backing. Their value is determined entirely by scarcity, network belief and speculative demand. They overcome fears of censorship, a lack of trust in institutions and governments, currency debasement and asset confiscation.

India’s outgoing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor has trumpeted the country’s status as a “pioneer” in the central bank digital currency (CBDC) space, noting its broad reach among millions of Indian investors. “RBI, among the central banks ...

Crypto’s shift toward institutional adoption was evident at Davos 2026, but central bankers continued to say it threatens monetary sovereignty.

India’s central bank wants BRICS members to connect their official digital currencies, aiming to make cross-border trade and tourism payments easier as geopolitics harden and more countries look for rails that rely less on the US dollar.

U.S. President Donald Trump says American crypto leadership is crucial to beat China.

Privacy and sovereignty concerns over central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) mean that a digital dollar won’t be coming to the US state of North Carolina anytime ...