The 7 Best Crypto Exchanges in India in 2026

The best crypto exchanges in India are CoinSwitch for most investors, CoinDCX for an easy-to-use interface, ZebPay for recurring buys, and Binance for a global selection. Every exchange on this list is registered with India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND).

Quick look: best crypto exchanges in India

CoinSwitch

Best overall

CoinSwitch describes itself as India’s largest crypto trading platform, with more than 2 crore registered users. It’s registered with FIU-IND.

Pros

Large selection: CoinSwitch offers more than 400 cryptocurrencies to buy, sell, and trade.

Trade in rupees: You can buy and sell crypto directly against the Indian rupee.

More than spot trading: CoinSwitch also offers futures, options, and automated investing strategies.

Cons

Risky products: Futures and options can multiply your losses as well as your gains, so they aren’t a good fit for beginners.

CoinDCX

Best for user interface

CoinDCX is one of India’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. Coinbase increased its stake in the company in 2025.

Pros

Easy to use: CoinDCX has been praised for its easy-to-use interface on desktop and mobile.

Crypto withdrawals: You can withdraw your crypto to a wallet you control, as well as withdraw rupees to your bank account.

Cons

July 2025 hack: In July 2025, attackers took about $44 million from an internal CoinDCX account used to provide liquidity. CoinDCX said customer funds were not affected and covered the loss from its own reserves.

ZebPay

Best for recurring buys

ZebPay was founded in India in 2014. It offers spot trading, recurring purchases, curated crypto baskets, and staking.

Pros

SIPs: You can set up a systematic investment plan that buys crypto daily, weekly, or monthly.

Clear fees: Regular users pay a 0.45% maker and taker fee on the exchange, and Quick Trade orders start at 0.5%.

TDS deduction: ZebPay deducts TDS for Indian users, and you can claim the TDS deducted when you file your return.

Cons

Inactivity fee: ZebPay charges a membership fee on accounts with no trading activity in a month.

Binance

Best foreign exchange

Binance, the world’s biggest exchange by trading volume, is available in India again. It’s now registered with FIU-IND, which fined it ₹18.82 crore in 2024 for serving Indian users without registering.

Pros

Low fees: Binance offers some of the lowest fees for cryptocurrency investors. Trades are subject to a 0.1% standard fee.

Buy Bitcoin in INR: Binance’s P2P marketplace allows you to buy Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in INR.

Large selection: Binance offers hundreds of cryptocurrencies to buy, sell, and trade.

Cons

Keep your own TDS records: Check your Annual Information Statement (AIS) to confirm whether TDS was deducted on your Binance trades.

Regulatory history: Binance has faced regulatory action in several countries, including the 2024 FIU-IND penalty in India.

Coinbase

Best for experienced traders

Coinbase registered with FIU-IND in March 2025 and has reopened to users in India.

Pros

Advanced trading: Coinbase Advanced lets you trade on an order book with maker and taker fees instead of paying a spread.

Publicly listed: Coinbase is listed on the Nasdaq, so it publishes audited financial statements.

Cons

Newer to India: Coinbase has only recently returned, so its rupee options are newer than those of Indian exchanges.

2025 data breach: In May 2025, Coinbase disclosed that bribed support contractors had stolen some customers’ personal data. No passwords or private keys were compromised, but some customers were tricked into sending crypto to the scammers, and Coinbase said it would reimburse eligible customers.

WazirX

Best for zero-fee spot trading

WazirX is one of India’s best-known exchanges, with more than 1.5 crore registered users, and it’s registered with FIU-IND. In July 2024, hackers stole about $230 million from WazirX, and trading was suspended for about 15 months. WazirX restarted trading on October 24, 2025, after a Singapore court approved its restructuring plan.

Pros

WazirX ZERO: For ₹99 a month, you get unlimited spot trading with zero trading fees.

High selection: WazirX lists more than 300 cryptocurrencies.

New custody partner: WazirX now uses the custodian BitGo to hold user assets.

Cons

2024 hack: The 2024 hack froze customer funds for more than a year. If you use WazirX, consider moving long-term holdings to a wallet you control.

Unocoin

Best for beginners

Founded in 2013, Unocoin is one of India’s oldest cryptocurrency exchanges, with more than 2 million users.

Pros

Simple to use: Unocoin’s app is built for people buying crypto for the first time.

Systematic buying: Unocoin’s Systematic Buying Plan (SBP) buys crypto for you automatically on a schedule.

Cons

Smaller selection: Unocoin lists fewer cryptocurrencies than the largest exchanges.

Lack of advanced features: Unocoin is designed for beginner investors and has limited features available for advanced traders.

How do cryptocurrency exchanges work?

Cryptocurrency exchanges are platforms where you can buy, sell, or trade cryptocurrencies for other digital currencies or fiat currencies like Indian rupees or US dollars. These platforms can be categorized into two types: centralized exchanges (CEX) and decentralized exchanges (DEX).

Centralized exchanges (CEX)

Centralized exchanges are managed by a company that provides a platform for trading cryptocurrencies. Centralized exchanges typically offer the following benefits: 

• Ease of Use: User-friendly interfaces suitable for beginners.
• Liquidity: High trading volumes ensure easy trade execution.
• Security Measures: Often include robust security protocols.
• Customer Support: Provide assistance for users.

Centralized exchanges require users to trust the platform with their funds and personal information.

Decentralized exchanges (DEX)

Decentralized exchanges operate without a central authority. Transactions are automated through smart contracts and blockchain technology. Benefits include:

• Privacy: No need to disclose personal information.
• Custody: Users have complete control over their funds.
• Decentralized: No centralized platform that can censor transactions. 

Decentralized exchanges can be less user-friendly and have lower liquidity compared to their centralized counterparts. 

How to pick a cryptocurrency exchange in India

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a cryptocurrency exchange:

Registration with FIU-IND

Start by checking that the exchange is registered with India’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND). Registered exchanges have to follow India’s anti-money laundering rules.

FIU-IND has ordered offshore exchanges that served Indian users without registering to be blocked, including Kraken in December 2023 and Paxful in October 2025. FIU-IND doesn’t publish a searchable list, so look for the registration statement on the exchange’s own website.

Security

It’s important to look for exchanges with strong security measures, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), cold storage, and insurance against theft and hacks.

User experience

It’s important to pick an exchange with a friendly user experience! Because user experience can be subjective, it’s recommended to take a look at multiple exchange interfaces to see which one you prefer. 

Fees

Compare the fee structures of different exchanges. If you plan to trade frequently, high fees can make a significant impact on your profits.

Remember to factor in GST, too. Indian exchanges such as ZebPay list their fees before GST, which is added on top.

Liquidity

The higher liquidity your exchange has, the quicker your trades will be fulfilled. This is especially important in times of volatility! 

Coin selection

You should consider what cryptocurrencies you wish to invest in. Some exchanges offer a wide range of cryptocurrencies, giving you more options for trading and investing. Others are more specialized, focusing on Bitcoin and a few other select cryptocurrencies. 

Reputation

Research the exchange's reputation. Before you get started, look for user reviews and testimonials about the exchange's reliability and user performance. 

Additional features

Some exchanges offer additional features like staking, margin trading, or crypto savings accounts, which may be aligned with your investment strategy! 

Is cryptocurrency taxed in India? 

India has some of the strictest crypto tax rules in the world. Gains from crypto are taxed at a flat 30%, plus a 4% health and education cess. A surcharge may also apply, depending on your income.

In addition, a 1% TDS (tax deducted at source) applies to payments for crypto. The only exemption is when a buyer’s total crypto payments for the year stay within ₹50,000 (₹10,000 for buyers with business income above set limits and other non-individual buyers). You can claim the TDS deducted as a credit when you file your return.

Unlike many other countries, India doesn’t let you use crypto losses to offset any other income, including gains from other crypto. You can’t carry crypto losses forward to future years either.

These rules carried over when the new Income-tax Act, 2025 took effect on April 1, 2026.

For more information, check out our complete guide to crypto taxes in India.

What restrictions are there on trading crypto in India? 

Cryptocurrency is legal to buy, sell, and trade in India, but it isn’t legal tender.

Exchanges that serve Indian users must register with FIU-IND and follow India’s anti-money laundering rules. In December 2023 and October 2025, FIU-IND named offshore exchanges that were serving Indian users without registering and directed that their websites and apps be blocked.

India doesn’t have a dedicated crypto law. Instead, crypto is regulated through the tax rules above and anti-money laundering rules.

How to calculate your crypto taxes in India

Every time you sell, swap, or spend crypto, you may owe 30% tax on your gain. Keeping track of what you paid for each coin across several exchanges can get complicated quickly.

CoinLedger can help. You can import your transaction history from exchanges including CoinSwitch, CoinDCX, ZebPay, Binance, and WazirX, and see your gains and losses in one place.

More than 700,000 investors use CoinLedger. Get started with a free CoinLedger account today.