Investors Cheer After RBI Clarifies Crypto Trading Isn’t Banned

Suvashree Ghosh, Bloomberg News

Coaxial cables connect to a computer server unit inside a communications room at an office in London, U.K., on Monday, May 15, 2017. Governments and companies around the world began to gain the upper hand against the first wave of an unrivaled global cyberattack, even as the assault was poised to continue claiming victims this week. Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- The Reserve Bank of India’s clarification that cryptocurrency trading isn’t banned in the country is a welcome relief for a community facing push-back from traditional lenders needed to help settle these deals.

The regulator late on Monday told banks not to cite a 2018 central bank circular as a reason to hinder crypto trades, given the Supreme Court has since squashed the order. Banks must continue with other routine due diligence measures on the deals, the RBI said.

The RBI order follows local media reports that financial firms, including SBI Cards & Payment Services Ltd., one of India’s biggest credit card issuers, and the nation’s largest private-sector bank HDFC Bank Ltd. had cautioned customers against dealing in virtual currencies. Indian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern that crypto assets could be used for criminal activity such as money laundering and funding terrorism.

“Investing in crypto has always been 100% legal in India and the new RBI circular clearly confirms the right to do business with crypto firms,” said Avinash Shekhar, co-Chief Executive Officer at ZebPay, India’s oldest crypto exchange. He added that the clarification will attract more investors to the virtual currencies.

Read: How to Use 50 Trillion Shiba Inu in Covid-Hit, Crypto-Wary India

The RBI’s broader concerns and banks’ worries around money laundering should help to spur regulations and make the industry safer and stronger, said Sumit Gupta, CEO and co-founder of crypto exchange CoinDCX.

Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency, was little changed as of 12:15 p.m. in Hong Kong on Tuesday, after having gained in the two previous sessions.