That is, the 30% tax applies on any profits made on any crypto transactions, without the option of allowing the user to balance these profits against losses made on other crypto transactions. These tax measures, crypto industry players say, are restrictive and are encouraging crypto investors to invest in foreign exchanges rather than Indian ones. “As India prepares for Budget 2026, there is a clear opportunity to fine-tune a framework which supports transparency and compliance while fostering innovation,” Nischal Shetty, Founder of WazirX said. “India’s rapid adoption of blockchain and virtual digital assets (VDA) reflects both the scale of its digital economy and growing participation by retail users,” SB Seker, Head of APAC for Binance said. “The forthcoming budget presents an opportunity to strengthen the VDA ecosystem through measured regulatory and tax refinements that protect users, maintain financial stability, and support responsible market development,” he added.

Source: The Hindu January 18, 2026 12:19 UTC