RBI Crypto Rules: What India’s Central Bank Actually Allows and Bans

When it comes to RBI crypto rules, the guidelines set by India’s central bank that shape how citizens can buy, hold, or trade digital assets. Also known as Reserve Bank of India crypto policy, these rules don’t ban cryptocurrency outright—but they make it hard to use banks, cards, or payment systems for crypto transactions. The RBI doesn’t own crypto, doesn’t issue it, and doesn’t recognize it as legal tender. But after years of mixed signals, the government now taxes crypto trades, and millions of Indians still trade anyway—using P2P platforms, offshore exchanges, and cash-based deals.

What most people don’t realize is that the RBI’s main concern isn’t Bitcoin or Ethereum—it’s digital rupee, India’s central bank digital currency (CBDC) being rolled out to replace private crypto as the government’s preferred digital money. Also known as e-Rupee, this is the real endgame: a state-controlled digital currency that tracks every transaction, not a decentralized network you can’t control. Meanwhile, crypto taxation in India, a 30% tax on gains and a 1% TDS on every trade, was introduced to bring crypto into the formal economy without approving it. This creates a strange middle ground: crypto isn’t illegal to hold, but using banks to fund it is risky, and the government wants you to pay up for the privilege. If you’re trading crypto in India, you’re not breaking the law—but you’re operating outside the banking system, and the RBI has made it clear they’d rather you didn’t.

That’s why the posts below cover what actually matters if you’re in India: how to trade safely under current rules, which exchanges still work for Indian users, how to avoid scams pretending to be RBI-approved, and what happens if you get caught using a banned service. You’ll find real guides on P2P trading, tax reporting, and how to protect your assets when banks won’t help. No fluff. No promises. Just what’s working right now for people who need to trade crypto in India—despite the RBI’s rules.