Government of India to Form a Panel for Regulating Digital Assets

The government of India is reportedly forming a new panel to study the likelihood of regulating cryptocurrencies in the country. The panel is further exploring the use of blockchain for technological innovation including regulating cryptocurrencies as digital assets rather than currencies.

Government Setting Up New Panel to Monitor Digital Assets

The government of India is reportedly setting up a new panel to review the possibility of regulating cryptocurrency in the country.

The local media outlet, The Economic Times reported on May 19 over three anonymous officials citing that the new panel might also study ways on operationalizing its proposed central bank digital currency.

In 2019, the former finance secretary Subhash Garg had proposed a blanket cryptocurrency ban in the country. Now, the government is of the new view that the suggestions previously made by Garg are outdated.

“There is a view within the government that the recommendations made by the Subhash Garg are dated and a fresh look is needed at the use of cryptos rather than a total ban.” says one of the unnamed officials.

With the country’s regulatory stance on cryptocurrencies still unclear, the formation of a new committee suggests that India might be reconsidering its stance on crypto assets.

India on Regulating Crypto Still Unclear

There have been reports circulating during the beginning of the year over a proposed cryptocurrency bill that a blanket ban would be reimposed in the country, made by anonymous officials from the country’s Finance department.

The Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill 2021 was scheduled to be addressed in parliament in March or April but it kept on getting postponed due to local elections.

However, India’s Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has previously stated that the government would prefer to take a calibrated approach towards regulating cryptocurrencies rather than an outright ban.

Reportedly, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Anurag Thakur, could be under consideration to join the new committee.