In short
- Coinbase is making a new investment in CoinDCX, building on previous investments through Coinbase Ventures, with the deal subject to regulatory approval.
- The deal comes months after CoinDCX suffered a $44.2 million hack in July, which the exchange absorbed from its treasury reserves while dismissing takeover rumors at the time.
- Industry experts view this move as a strategic “partner to penetrate” approach, allowing Coinbase to leverage CoinDCX’s regulatory relationships rather than attempting to gain direct market access.
US cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase says it is deepening its presence in emerging markets with a new investment in CoinDCX, citing India and the Middle East as key drivers for future global cryptocurrency adoption.
The deal values the Indian exchange at $2.45 billion post-money and marks Coinbase’s latest move to expand its international footprint, Coinbase’s said Wednesday statement.
“In addition to capital, this partnership provides strategic alignment – not just on what we build, but how we build it,” CoinDCX CEO Sumit Gupta said Declutter. “A compliance-first business approach, rooted in transparency and trust.”
“This investment strongly aligns with our strategic focus on two of the most dynamic markets for crypto adoption: India and the Middle East,” added Gupta.
As of July 2025 CoinDCX reported an annualized group turnover of ₹1,179 crore (approximately $141 million), annualized transaction volumes of ₹13.7 lakh crore (approximately $165 billion), and assets under custody of over ₹10,000 crore ($1.2 billion).
“There is rapid technology adoption in India and the Middle East, and there are already more than 100 million crypto holders,” Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong tweeted. “I’m excited to do more in these markets and help continue to accelerate adoption. Coinbase is going global.”
Coinbase declined to comment on the investment amount when contacted Declutter. CoinDCX has not yet responded.
Sudhakar Lakshmanaraja, founder of blockchain education platform Digital South Trust, called it a “welcome move.” Declutter that foreign exchanges now find it easier to invest directly rather than operating under India’s Financial Intelligence Unit regulations, and could open the door for more local-foreign exchange collaborations.
The deal comes months after CoinDCX weathered major challenges, including one $44.2 million hack in July that the exchange drew on its treasury reserves.
At the time, Gupta did rumors dismissed that Coinbase was in talks to acquire the exchange, insisting that CoinDCX was “not for sale.”
“Rather than fight regulatory headwinds again, Coinbase is opting for the ‘partner topenetr’ model – a playbook we’ve seen work well in complex regulatory markets across Asia,” Monica Jasuja, head of expansion and innovation at Emerging Payments Association Asia, told me. Declutter.
CoinDCX’s push into the Middle East is the “real story,” she said, connecting “two of the fastest-growing crypto markets” — India’s deep technology and user base with the Gulf’s capital and flexible regulation.
The goal, Jasuja added, is not to crown one hub, but to build a “regional corridor” connecting the two.
“This investment could accelerate the timeline for clearer frameworks, especially around foreign ownership thresholds, compliance requirements and interoperability with global crypto rails,” Jasuja said, while cautioning that “pressure does not always translate into speed in policymaking.”
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