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India sidesteps crypto and stablecoins at world’s largest fintech summit

At India’s massive fintech conference in Mumbai, attended by over 100,000 participants and 800 speakers, two global financial buzzwords were conspicuously absent: cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. Despite Bitcoin’s record-breaking surge past $125,000, the three-day event — headlined by the prime ministers of India and the U.K. — avoided any discussion of digital assets amid the government’s cautious regulatory stance.

A speaker document obtained by Reuters explicitly instructed participants to “avoid political, crypto, religious, or personal remarks”, underscoring India’s reluctance to embrace the sector. While economies like Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore are racing to become crypto hubs, India remains hesitant, opting instead to spotlight its central bank digital currency, the e-rupee, and other fintech innovations.

The Reserve Bank of India showcased pilots for deposit tokenisation and fintech sandboxes, while companies like PayPal and Revolut unveiled new products tailored for the Indian market.

Experts say the policy vacuum is chilling innovation. “Regulators need an iterative approach instead of complete aversion to stablecoins,” said Joseph Sebastian of Blume Ventures, who suggested limited adoption through U.S. dollar stablecoin remittances.

India’s fintech funding fell to $3.5 billion in 2023, its lowest since 2020, as entrepreneurs increasingly incorporate overseas to escape regulatory uncertainty. “It’s becoming real whether we like it or not,” said Vivekdeep Gupta, a digital assets consultant.