India’s Crypto Revolution Hinges on Regulation: Binance Co-CEO Sounds the Alarm
Clear rules aren't just paperwork—they're the ignition key for India's crypto engine. Without them, mass adoption stays parked in neutral.
The Regulatory Roadblock
Imagine a market of over a billion people, a tech-savvy population, and explosive digital payment growth. Now picture that potential bottlenecked by regulatory fog. That's India's crypto paradox. The Binance co-CEO's call for regulation isn't a plea for red tape; it's a demand for the rulebook needed to play the game at scale. Investors and builders are watching, wallets ready but hesitant.
Why Clarity Equals Capital
Institutional money moves where the rules are clear. Family offices, hedge funds, even traditional banks—they need guardrails before they dive into digital assets. A defined framework does more than protect consumers; it signals legitimacy. It tells the global market that India is open for crypto business, not just crypto speculation. The alternative? A perpetual gray market that benefits no one but the most risk-agnostic traders.
The Global Domino Effect
India's stance doesn't exist in a vacuum. As a G20 heavyweight, its regulatory decisions send shockwaves through emerging markets. A progressive framework could position Mumbai as a rival to Singapore or Dubai. A restrictive one could cede the innovation race. The subtext here is urgent: decide, or get decided for. The world's moving, with or without you.
The Bottom Line
This isn't about crypto anarchy versus government overreach. It's about building the digital financial infrastructure for the next century. Regulation provides the trust—that cynical, scarce commodity in finance—required to transition crypto from the fringe to the fundamental. The call from Binance is a stark reminder: in the high-stakes game of financial evolution, hesitation is a strategy with a 100% failure rate. Just ask any legacy bank that thought the internet was a passing fad.
Speaking on Monday, January 19, 2026, Teng didn't hold back. He labeled India the "grassroots capital" of the crypto world a title backed by millions of tech-savvy young users already using the tech every day.
The "Sleeping Giant" Problem
There is a catch to this success: Teng described the country as a "sleeping giant" that’s currently stuck in neutral. While the people are ready, the big "mass market" investors are still sitting on the sidelines. They are essentially waiting for the Indian government to finally flip the switch on formal, clear rules.
Bridging the Gap: Crypto vs. UPI
One of the most debated topics in New Delhi and India has been whether digital assets threaten the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Teng tackled this head-on, arguing that India crypto regulation should view the two as partners rather than rivals. While UPI is a masterclass in domestic efficiency, Teng pointed out that decentralized assets are borderless and operate 24/7.
"UPI is for usage within the nation by and large, but Digital Assets helps in borderless transfer," Teng noted. He explained that the programmability of tokens offers a utility that traditional fiat channels simply cannot match. For corporate treasuries moving capital globally, the speed and "fraction of the cost" offered by stablecoins have become an irresistible advantage.
The "US Boom": A Warning for India
Richard Teng didn't pull any punches when comparing India crypto regulation to the sudden explosion of activity in the United States. He pointed to a massive "vibe shift" that happened back in July 2025 when the US passed the GENIUS Act. This wasn't just another boring law; it was the moment the US flipped from being a crypto skeptic to the world’s loudest cheerleader.
Under this new playbook, the results have been wild. Stablecoin values have jumped by over 50%, and the amount of money moving through these networks has tripled it’s now moving twice as much money every day as Visa.
Teng’s warning to India was simple: if the world’s biggest economy is rebranding itself as the "Global Capital for AI and Blockchain," staying in a "grey zone" is a dangerous game. For India crypto regulation to succeed, it needs to provide the same level of clarity, or risk watching its homegrown talent and capital flee to friendlier shores.
Binance’s Path to One Billion Users
For Binance, the stakes for Indian crypto regulation are personal. The firm recently crossed the 300 million user mark, processing an eye-watering $34 trillion in trading value last year. With a goal to reach one billion users, He identified India as an "indispensable" part of that ambition.
Despite the "grey zone" status of trading in the nation, institutional volume on Binance grew by over 20% in the last year alone. Co-CEO believes that as "former skeptics" among global finance leaders turn into believers, the Indian government will eventually see the strategic importance of a clear framework. He concluded that while enthusiasm for Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) is fading globally, the underlying market structure for private digital assets remains robust and ready for the next decade of growth.
