India could lose out on one of the most important global financial rallies

The government is all set to bring a Bill, which is likely to ban cryptocurrency trading, mining and investments in the country. Rallying over 300 per cent in the last year, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, has gained popularity in the country among other crypto assets, with top exchanges witnessing a multifold jump in trading volumes. Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, Founder and CEO of Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange in terms of volume, talks to Avneet Kaur about the government’s potential move. Edited excerpts:

- Avneet Kaur

News of the government’s proposed ban on cryptocurrencies, in favor of a digital rupee, is doing the rounds. Your thoughts.

I cannot comment directly on government policy, but based on our experience globally, a better way to address the issue would be to start a constructive dialogue with all the players, with an aim to create sustainable regulations. It would promote the growth of the sector, while addressing the government’s concerns.

What if the proposed ban comes through?

The current market conditions in the digital asset space have brought renewed interest in the sector in India, both from a retail and institutional perspective. Universities, including IITs, have embraced the sector’s underlying technology, blockchain, which is set to lead the way globally. Indian exchanges have recorded all-time high trading volumes and user registrations in the past six months.