How to Buy Bitcoin in India

On December 28, 2023, India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) sent a show cause notice to nine cryptocurrency exchanges for not complying with India’s AML (anti-money laundering) regulations. The exchanges included were Binance, KuCoin, Huobi, Kraken, Gate.io, Bittrex, Bitstamp, MEXC, and Bitfinex. Access to the websites of these nine exchanges has been blocked in India until they register with the FIU.

If that’s true, how can you keep using a crypto trading platform in India? In this guide, we will explore the legal status of Bitcoin (BTC) in India, its popularity, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to buy Bitcoin in India. We will also review the best platforms for trading crypto in India, suitable for both new and experienced traders. By the end, you’ll have a list of the top crypto apps that make buying and selling Bitcoin safe and easy.

If you want to explore other crypto platforms available in India, read on.

Top Platforms to Buy Bitcoin in India

Buying Bitcoin in India has become easier than ever, with multiple platforms offering quick purchases via UPI, bank transfers, and even credit cards. Each platform comes with its own features, fees, and benefits, making it important to choose the right one. For ease of use, we recommend trying out a self-custodial wallet like Best Wallet.

Best Wallet – Overall Best Non-Custodial Wallet to Buy Bitcoin 

Best Wallet is one of the best non-custodial crypto wallets for 2026. Best Wallet is an interesting option because it is essentially a one-stop option for all your Bitcoin and cryptocurrency needs, where you can buy, sell, store, and trade crypto.

The main advantage of using Best Wallet for your Bitcoin investment is that the app allows you to retain complete ownership over your crypto assets. This is possible because Best Wallet stores the private keys that control your Bitcoins on your smartphone.

In contrast, when you store cryptocurrencies on a centralized exchange, you give control of your private keys to the exchange operator. This exposes you to risks of censorship and the possibility of exchange failure.

A prime example of such an incident was the collapse of a popular Indian crypto exchange called WazirX. In July 2024, a hack drained about $230 million from WazirX, wiping out nearly half its assets. The exchange immediately froze all crypto and INR withdrawals, leaving customers locked out of their funds and facing steep losses.

If that is not enough to convince you to use a non-custodial wallet to protect your BTC holdings, you should know that Best Wallet does not require KYC process during onboarding, features an in-built decentralized exchange aggregator, supports multiple blockchains, and has a token launchpad. Security features include a passcode, two-factor authentication (2FA), biometrics, and an auto-lock timer.

Learn more about this useful crypto app in our Best Wallet review.

Best Wallet Pros & Cons

Visit Best Wallet

Don’t Want to Hold Bitcoin? Trade It Instead

Buying Bitcoin directly in India through exchanges and wallets is straightforward, but not everyone wants the responsibility of storing crypto or dealing with price swings in the long term. If your goal is to profit from Bitcoin’s short-term price movements, futures trading can be a smarter option.

CoinFutures is one of the best futures trading platforms for beginners, allowing you to speculate on Bitcoin’s price without actually owning it. This makes it a convenient choice for Indian traders who want exposure to BTC while avoiding the complexities of custody.

It is best-suited for short-term traders and investors, as the platform allows you to go long (bet on the price of a token to rise) and short (bet on the price of a token to fall). Note that futures trading is not only used for speculation but also to protect your investment against market volatility.

The use of leverage on CoinFutures is one of its main features. Leverage allows users to borrow funds to take up large market positions with limited available funds. Such a setup provides traders with the opportunity to amplify their profit, but it exposes them to the risk of unlimited losses.

CoinFutures is also known for its gamified interface, which makes it easy to understand the concepts of futures trading, making it a suitable platform for both beginners and experienced users.  Learn more about this 1000x leverage trading platform on our CoinFutures Review.

CoinFutures Pros & Cons

Visit CoinFutures

Binance

Binance is among the best crypto exchanges in India that offers spot trading, futures trading, margin trading, P2P trading, and NFT marketplaces with Indian Rupees (INR). Other features include liquidity farm programs, vaults, and loan programs. With over 500 cryptocurrencies, over 28 million members, and billions of dollars in daily transactions, Binance is the largest crypto exchange globally. The platform is also known for strong security solutions such as cold storage, insurance funds, real-time risk monitoring, advanced authentication, and a proof of reserve security system.

But perhaps a key feature on Binance that goes underlook when it comes to the Indian market is the ability to withdraw cryptocurrencies from your exchange account to your crypto wallet. Most India-based crypto exchanges do not allow token withdrawals.

Here’s our full Binance review.

CEX.IO

CEX.IO is available in most countries around the world. Founded in 2013 with its headquarters in London, this cryptocurrency exchange allows users to buy and sell Bitcoin as well as a selection of altcoins.

Both credit cards and bank transfers are accepted payment methods with low fees of 0%–0.25% on trades. CEX.IO offers a trading platform and a brokerage service, both of which entail different fees.

You can read our CEX.IO review for more info.

Changelly

Changelly is an exchange that was founded in 2015. It allows instant crypto-to-crypto swaps, as well as purchases and sales involving fiat via their payment partners. Signing up for an account doesn’t require any personal information, and you’ll then have a quick and easy way of exchanging cryptocurrency from one wallet to another.

Crypto-to-crypto trades have a low 0.25% fee. However, buying or selling with fiat may come with some hefty additional charges depending on which third-party processor handles the transaction.

You can read our Changelly review to learn more.

Coinmama

Coinmama may be based in Israel, but it’s available in a huge number of countries, including India. It was launched in 2013, and it offers convenience: you can buy Bitcoin with a debit or credit card.

The downside is that the fees are on the high side at 4.5% for USD, EUR, GBP, and JPY and up to 6.5% for other currencies.

See our full review of Coinmama.

Paxful

Paxful is a peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplace that allows buyers and sellers to meet online and trade Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies with each other.

Sellers on Paxful accept over 300 payment methods, including major Indian payment methods like PayTM, Bhim, and PhonePe. If you’re buying Bitcoin on Paxful, you won’t have to pay any fee to the site itself, but the price of Bitcoin is traded at a premium because of this.

You can read our full Paxful review to learn more.

India-Based Bitcoin Exchanges: Buy Bitcoin with Indian Rupees

India-based Bitcoin exchanges are best suited if you want to make seamless fiat-to-crypto and vice versa trades, as these platforms allow you to withdraw INR to your bank account. These platforms also support popular payment methods such as UPI, bank transfer, debit, and credit cards. Most exchanges come with strong security services and feature-rich apps. However, Indian crypto exchanges are known to not allow token withdrawals, which can make them risky for your Bitcoin investment.

CoinDCX

CoinDCX is an Indian crypto exchange that was founded in 2018. It has backing from some very notable names in the industry, including Coinbase, BainCapital, and BitMEX. The exchange enables users to buy more than 200 cryptocurrencies instantly with INR by linking their bank account. It is also very easy to withdraw INR on CoinDCX.

CoinDCX’s fee structure ranges from 0.04% to 0.50%, depending on a user’s previous 30-day volume.

Note that CoinDCX suffered a security breach on July 19, 2025, when an attacker stole about $44 million from CoinDCX’s internal operational wallet. CoinDCX is covering the loss and launching an investigation.

Unocoin

Unocoin was established in 2013 and allows users to buy Bitcoin with an Indian bank account. Unocoin is a regulated company in India and offers a fee of 0.5% to buy or sell Bitcoin. It’s an easy Bitcoin exchange to use, but it does require ID verification.

Is Bitcoin Legal in India?

Does India use Bitcoin? Cryptocurrency is not prohibited in India, and the government is gradually creating laws and regulations for digital assets.

In India, it is legal to buy, hold, and trade Bitcoin. However, it’s essential to understand the specifics. The Indian government does not ban owning or trading cryptocurrencies, although digital currencies like Bitcoin are not considered legal tender, meaning they cannot be used directly to buy goods or services.

India implemented a tax system in 2022 that essentially recognized the reality of digital assets. Nevertheless, there is currently no all-encompassing regulatory structure that oversees cryptocurrency. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) continues to exercise caution and has issued numerous warnings on threats to financial stability. In the meantime, the Supreme Court has compared unregulated crypto activity to unofficial money networks and ordered the government to explain its stance.

As of June 2025, a national policy paper that would outline the initial steps toward official crypto legislation is anticipated to be published shortly. In the interim, registered platforms that adhere to AML regulations allow Indian users to legally buy and sell Bitcoin.

How Is Bitcoin Taxed in India?

According to India’s Income Tax Act, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are considered Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs). The tax system as of June 2025 is as follows:

• Flat 30% Tax on Profits: Profits from selling or trading Bitcoin are subject to a fixed 30% tax rate, with no deductions for expenses (apart from acquisition costs). This holds true for both short-term and long-term gains.
• 1% TDS (Tax Deducted at Source): The exchange automatically deducts 1% TDS from any crypto transaction that exceeds ₹10,000 within a fiscal year. Even if the transaction ends in a loss, this still holds true.
• No Set-Off or Carry Forward: Please note that losses cannot be carried over to subsequent years or deducted from any other income.

How Popular is Bitcoin in India?

The Google Trends graph below displays interest in Bitcoin in India. The linked graph is live data, updated directly from Google. Using the search term ‘bitcoin,’ the graph represents the search interest of users through Google. A mark of 100 indicates peak popularity, while a score of 50 means half as popular.

Main Indian Bitcoin Communities

There are a number of Indian Bitcoin communities online. These are particularly useful for staying up to date with the latest news, as well as for getting advice on the best Indian Bitcoin exchanges and the like. In particular, it’s worth checking out the following forums, pages, and Meetup groups:

• Bitcoin India subreddit
• CryptoIndia subreddit
• India’s BitcoinTalk thread
• Blockchained India Meetup
• Everything Blockchain – Delhi Meetup
• Crypto & Blockchain Meetup

How Many Bitcoin ATMs are There in India?

There are no Bitcoin ATMs in India.

Conclusion: Buy BTC in India

As can be seen, Bitcoin’s status in India is trending in a positive direction. This is evidenced by the Indian Ministry of Finance adding digital assets to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in 2023 and the number of Indian-based crypto exchanges, as well as international exchanges accepting Indian users.

Meanwhile, with its mix of privacy, control, and simplicity, Best Wallet is the best overall platform for anyone who wants to buy, hold, and grow crypto. Do not forget to check it out.

See Also:

• How to Buy Bitcoin With a Credit Card
• 6 Ways to Buy Bitcoin with a Debit Card

FAQs:

Is Unocoin legal in India?

Yes, Unocoin is legal to use in India.

What are the most popular Indian-based exchanges by trade volume?

The biggest and most popular Indian crypto exchanges are WazirX and CoinDCX, both based in Mumbai.

Is Bitcoin banned in India?

Bitcoin is not banned in India, and as of 2025, the country is slowly making progress toward regulating the digital asset.

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