CryptoWire

Crypto Tax in India 2026: 30% Tax, 1% TDS & Filing Rules | CryptoWire

What Is Crypto Tax in India?

The Indian government classifies cryptocurrencies as Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) for taxation purposes.

This includes:

Bitcoin (BTC)

Ethereum (ETH)

Solana (SOL)

XRP

Meme coins

NFTs

Other crypto assets

Income earned from transferring VDAs is taxed at a flat 30% rate plus applicable surcharge and cess.

Is Crypto Tax 30% in India?

Yes. One of the most searched questions is:

“Is crypto tax 30% in India?”

The answer is yes.

Any profit earned from selling cryptocurrency is generally taxed at a flat 30% rate regardless of:

Holding period

Asset type

Investor category

Unlike stocks and mutual funds, crypto assets do not currently receive preferential long-term capital gains treatment.

How Is Crypto Tax Calculated in India?

Let’s understand with a simple example.

Example

You purchased Bitcoin for ₹1,00,000.

Later, you sold it for ₹1,50,000.

Profit:

₹1,50,000 − ₹1,00,000 = ₹50,000

Tax:

30% of ₹50,000 = ₹15,000

Applicable surcharge and cess may increase the final tax liability.

What Is 1% TDS on Crypto?

Apart from the 30% tax, India introduced a 1% TDS requirement on certain crypto transfers.

The purpose is to help tax authorities track cryptocurrency transactions and improve compliance.

Many Indian exchanges automatically deduct TDS when eligible transactions occur.

Do You Pay Tax If You Don’t Sell Crypto?

This is another frequently asked question.

If You Only Hold Crypto

Generally, merely holding cryptocurrency without transferring or selling it does not create a taxable profit event.

If You Sell Crypto

Any realized gain may become taxable under VDA taxation rules.

Investors should maintain accurate transaction records for tax reporting purposes.

Are Crypto-to-Crypto Trades Taxable?

Yes.

Many investors assume swapping one cryptocurrency for another avoids taxes.

For example:

Bitcoin to Ethereum

Ethereum to Solana

XRP to USDT

Such transfers may still have tax implications depending on the transaction and resulting gains. Investors should consult qualified tax professionals when calculating liabilities.

IC15 Explained: India’s First Crypto Index by CryptoWire

IC15 is a rule-based cryptocurrency market index that measures the performance of 15 of the world’s most liquid and actively traded cryptocurrencies.

Similar to how the Sensex tracks leading Indian stocks or how the S&P 500 measures major U.S. companies, IC15 provides a single benchmark that reflects the broader cryptocurrency market.

Instead of monitoring dozens or hundreds of individual cryptocurrencies, investors can use IC15 to understand how the overall digital asset market is performing.

The index was designed to solve a growing challenge within crypto markets: the absence of a standardized benchmark that could accurately represent market sentiment and performance.

By combining market capitalization, liquidity, and trading activity into a structured framework, IC15 offers a transparent view of the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Why Was IC15 Created?

As cryptocurrency adoption accelerated globally, investors faced increasing complexity when evaluating market performance.

Unlike traditional financial markets that rely on benchmarks such as:

Nifty 50

BSE Sensex

S&P 500

Nasdaq 100

the crypto industry lacked a widely recognized benchmark within India.

CryptoWire introduced IC15 to address this gap.

The objective was to create a standardized index that:

Represents overall crypto market sentiment

Tracks major digital assets

Improves market transparency

Supports research and analysis

Enables benchmark-based performance measurement

Creates a foundation for future index-linked products

The creation of IC15 reflected the maturing nature of the cryptocurrency ecosystem, where investors increasingly required institutional-grade market intelligence rather than relying solely on individual token performance.

How to Create a Crypto Coin in 2026: Cost, Steps & Legal Requirements | CryptoWire

What It Means to Create a Crypto Coin?

Creating a cryptocurrency means issuing a new digital asset that records ownership and transfers on a blockchain. In practice the term create a crypto coin covers two very different engineering efforts, and conflating them is the most common and most expensive mistake new founders make.

Coin vs. Token: What’s the Difference?

A coin is the native asset of its own blockchain. Bitcoin runs on the Bitcoin network, Ether runs on Ethereum, SOL runs on Solana. Building a coin means building (or forking) an entire blockchain: its consensus mechanism, validator network, and economic rules.

A token is issued on top of an existing blockchain using a smart contract. It inherits the security, validators, and infrastructure of its host chain. The overwhelming majority of new digital assets including most stablecoins, governance tokens, and meme coins are tokens, not coins.

Binance New Listings 2026: Latest Coin Listings, Dates & Updates | CryptoWire

Binance new listings are newly added cryptocurrencies made available for spot trading on the world’s largest exchange by volume.

New coins arrive through six main routes direct Spot listings, Launchpool, Launchpad, HODLer Airdrops, Megadrop, and Binance Alpha graduations.

Binance lists roughly one to ten tokens per month, announced first on its official Announcements page, and listings frequently trigger sharp short-term price moves.

Key Takeaways

Six pathways: New coins reach Binance through direct Spot listings, Launchpool, Launchpad, HODLer Airdrops, Megadrop, and graduations from Binance Alpha.

Official source first: Listings are confirmed on Binance Announcements page before anywhere else. Any “leak” ahead of that breaches the applicant’s NDA and is almost certainly fake.

Cadence: Binance has historically added between one and ten tokens per month, varying with market conditions; Binance Alpha alone processed 221 token launches in 2025.

Seed Tag is the norm: Most newly listed tokens carry a Seed Tag, flagging early-stage status and elevated volatility.

Scheduled timing: Trading opens at a fixed UTC time stated in each announcement, with deposits opening one to several hours earlier.

The Binance effect: Listings often produce a pronounced short-term price spike on the back of liquidity and exposure, but gains frequently fade once initial demand clears.

Listing ≠ guaranteed profit: Low float, high volatility, and Seed Tag risk mean buying at the open is speculative and often loss-making.

X Hamster Coin Price in India: Live INR Rate, Market Cap & Forecast | CryptoWire

X Hamster Coin Price Prediction

Analyst forecasts for X Hamster Coin remain mixed. Short-term models cited by market trackers suggest HMSTR could trade roughly between ₹0.012 and ₹0.018 through 2026 if game activity holds, with the bull case pointing back toward the prior cycle high near ₹0.06–0.09 only if a strong meme-coin rally returns. A bear scenario could see further decline if user numbers and trading volume fade.

These are speculative estimates, not guarantees meme coins like HMSTR are driven by sentiment, airdrops and ecosystem updates rather than steady fundamentals.

Taxes & Risks for Indian Investors

Flat 30% tax applies to profits from crypto assets in India, with no offset for losses.

1% TDS is deducted on transactions above the prescribed threshold.

High volatility: HMSTR can move 20–35% in a single day; never invest more than you can afford to lose.

What Is an Airdrop in Crypto? A Complete 2026 Guide to Token Distributions | CryptoWire

A crypto airdrop is a token-distribution method in which a blockchain project transfers its native tokens to many wallet addresses at once, generally without charging recipients.

The term borrows from the idea of dropping supplies from the air: tokens land in qualifying wallets rather than being bought on an exchange.

Airdrops differ from initial coin offerings and public sales, where buyers pay for tokens.

Here, eligibility is usually earned through prior behavior using a protocol, holding a specific asset, providing liquidity, or voting in governance. The distribution is recorded on-chain, making it transparent and auditable.

How Does a Crypto Airdrop Work?

Most airdrops follow a repeatable sequence, though the details vary by project:

The project records the state of the blockchain at a fixed block height, capturing which addresses held assets or performed qualifying actions before a cutoff date.

Eligibility criteria. Rules define who qualifies for example, transaction count, volume traded, length of activity, or assets held.

Sybil filtering. Teams remove addresses suspected of gaming the system through many fake wallets, a practice known as sybil farming.

Distribution or claim. Tokens are either pushed directly to wallets or made claimable through a smart contract the user interacts with.

Retroactive airdrops, which reward past activity that users did not know would be compensated, have become the dominant format because they reward genuine early adopters rather than opportunistic farmers.

How to Buy Terra (LUNA) in India Safely in 2026 | CryptoWire

Terra (LUNA), the relaunched Terra 2.0 token, is listed across dozens of exchanges. According to CoinGecko, LUNA can be bought and sold on 67 crypto exchanges, with Binance ranking as the most active by trading volume, followed by Gate.

Globally, the common venues are Binance, Kraken, Bybit, OKX, Gate and Coinbase. CoinMarketCap reported LUNA’s 24-hour trading volume at about $4.83 million on 15 June 2026, so liquidity is modest compared with large-cap coins.

For Indian residents, the practical question is whether an exchange supports INR deposits. CoinSwitch lists a LUNA2/INR pair, while some local platforms have at times suspended their LUNA/INR markets, so availability is worth checking before you sign up.

How to buy LUNA in India: step by step

The process mirrors buying any altcoin on a compliant Indian exchange. According to guidance from CoinDCX and Koinly, the workflow is broadly the same across WazirX, CoinDCX, CoinSwitch and ZebPay.

Create an account on an exchange that lists LUNA and complete KYC with your PAN and a government ID.

Deposit INR via UPI, IMPS or bank transfer once your account is verified.

Search for LUNA (Terra 2.0) and double-check the ticker so you don’t accidentally buy Luna Classic (LUNC).

Enter your order amount, review fees, and confirm.

Move funds to a self-custody wallet if you want to hold the keys yourself.

Remember to keep some balance aside for maker/taker and withdrawal fees. CoinGecko notes that ₹1 buys roughly 0.16 LUNA at current prices, which helps when sizing small test orders.

Where to Buy Polygon (POL) Crypto in India: Best Exchanges 2026 | CryptoWire

You can buy Polygon (POL) in India on FIU-registered exchanges such as CoinDCX, WazirX, Mudrex, ZebPay and CoinSwitch, or on global platforms like Coinbase and Binance. POL trades at roughly ₹7.29 as of June 15, 2026.

One important note: MATIC has been fully upgraded to POL, so search for POL, not MATIC.

Key Takeaways

POL trades at about ₹7.29 as of June 15, 2026 down roughly 15.8% over the past 30 days and about 61% over the year (CoinGecko).

MATIC is now POL. The upgrade is 99%+ complete at a 1:1 ratio, and MATIC trading has been retired on major exchanges.

Indian platforms like CoinDCX, WazirX, Mudrex, ZebPay and CoinSwitch let you buy POL with INR via UPI or bank transfer.

India taxes crypto gains at a flat 30% plus 4% cess, with 1% TDS on transactions and no loss offset.

POL is listed on 143 exchanges; the most liquid venues globally are Coinbase and Binance.

Where can you buy Polygon (POL) crypto in India?

POL is one of the most widely listed altcoins, available across 143 crypto exchanges worldwide. For Indian investors, the simplest route is a homegrown, FIU-registered exchange that accepts INR deposits.

CoinDCX — security-focused, automatic TDS deduction, INR via UPI and bank transfer.

WazirX — beginner-friendly with buys from as little as ₹100 and fast UPI settlement.

Mudrex — supports GPay, PhonePe and Paytm; POL purchases start at ₹100.

ZebPay, CoinSwitch, Giottus, Unocoin — other compliant options with INR pairs.

Global exchanges such as Coinbase and Binance offer deeper liquidity, but Indian users must factor in funding methods and self-reporting of tax. Live INR pricing is tracked on CoinGecko.

Where and How to Buy Bitgert (BRISE) Crypto in India in 2026 | CryptoWire

What is Bitgert (BRISE)?

Bitgert is a blockchain project that launched in July 2021 as Bitrise on the BNB Chain and rebranded to Bitgert in December 2021. Its native token is BRISE.

In 2022 the team rolled out the BRC20 / Brise Chain, an EVM-compatible network that advertises near-zero gas fees and high throughput.

BRISE itself is a deflationary token with a buyback-and-burn mechanism funded by transaction taxes, and it now exists across BNB Chain, Ethereum and Solana.

What is the Bitgert (BRISE) price today?

As of 15 June 2026, the aggregated BRISE price is about $0.0000000198 (≈ ₹0.0000019), up around 1.6% in 24 hours and 1.5% over seven days, according to CoinGecko.

BRISE’s market cap sits near $7.78 million (rank #1307 on CoinGecko), on 24-hour volume of roughly $475,000. Circulating supply is about 395.69 trillion BRISE against a 1 quadrillion max supply.

Why Is Plasma (XPL) Price Pumping Right Now? | CryptoWire

The recent rally in Plasma (XPL) appears to be fueled by a combination of market momentum, speculative demand, and growing interest in the project’s blockchain infrastructure.

When a cryptocurrency experiences a sudden rise in trading volume, new buyers often enter the market, creating additional upward pressure. This phenomenon can trigger a feedback loop where price appreciation attracts even more investors.

Several factors commonly contribute to such movements:

Increased investor interest

Positive ecosystem developments

Higher exchange trading activity

Social media and community engagement

Broader crypto market strength

These elements collectively contribute to the rapid surge in Plasma (XPL) price.

What Is Plasma (XPL)?

Plasma (XPL) is a blockchain-focused digital asset designed to support decentralized applications, transaction efficiency, and ecosystem growth.

The project aims to provide scalable blockchain infrastructure while enabling developers and users to interact within a secure and efficient network environment.

Core objectives include:

Scalability

Lower transaction costs

Faster settlement

Enhanced blockchain utility

Ecosystem expansion

Upcoming Binance Listings: What’s Coming Next and How Listings Actually Work (2026) | CryptoWire

Which coin will Binance list next?

Honestly, nobody outside Binance knows for certain. Binance strictly prohibits projects from announcing a listing before the exchange does, and the selection stays confidential until the official post goes live.

Analyst guides from sites like Cryptonews and Coinspeaker currently speculate about candidates such as Bitcoin Hyper, Maxi Doge and Mantle. These are projections, not confirmed listings.

Treat every next Binance listing headline as a guess unless it links to Binance’s own announcement. The smarter move is to watch tokens already on Binance Alpha, Launchpool or Pre-Market, which sit far closer to a full listing than any presale.

What is Binance Alpha?

Binance Alpha is the exchange early-access platform for emerging Web3 tokens. It launched in December 2024 inside Binance Wallet, and the 19 March 2025 Alpha 2.0 update brought it directly into the main Binance app.

Access runs on Alpha Points, a score based on your balance and trading volume over a rolling 15-day window, according to CoinMarketCap’s Alpha guide. Points decide who qualifies for airdrops and token generation events.

Alpha is also a feeder for full listings. CoinNews reports that Binance Alpha hosted 221 token launches in 2025, with an average airdrop value of about $1,076 per user based on day-one prices.

NXPC is one example: it appeared on Alpha, then graduated to spot trading with roughly $133 million in first-day volume.

One caveat matters. Binance states clearly that Alpha inclusion does not guarantee a future listing, so treat it as a shortlist, not a promise.

How are Binance listings selected?

Binance runs a structured review that filters thousands of applications down to a handful. The exchange now lists more than 400 tradeable assets and adds only a few each month, which signals how selective the process is.

Projects are judged on compliance, smart-contract audits, liquidity depth, team credibility and real user adoption. Trending narratives help too, with AI, Layer 2s, DeFi and meme coins all drawing attention in 2026.

Upcoming Bybit Listings: New Crypto Listings to Watch 2026 | CryptoWire

Where does Bybit announce new listings?

Every genuine listing is published first at announcements.bybit.com. Bybit also pushes the same updates through its official Telegram and X (Twitter) channels.

A practical tip: confirmed announcements name the exact token, the trading pairs, and a precise date and time in UTC. Vague coming soon posts without these details are not official listings.

Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume and serves over 80 million users globally, per its own press materials. That scale means a Bybit listing can meaningfully affect a token’s liquidity and visibility.

How do I find the next Bybit listing?

There is no reliable way to predict the next Bybit listing before the exchange announces it. As of June 16, 2026, no specific future spot listing date has been publicly confirmed beyond the listings already live this month.

The honest method is monitoring, not guessing. Check the announcements page daily, enable Telegram alerts, and watch for Launchpool or IPO Express campaigns, which often precede a listing.

It also helps to track delistings, since they signal how Bybit rotates its roster. Trading of the ELON/USDT and VINU/USDT spot pairs, for example, ended after June 10, 2026, 8AM UTC, per Bybit’s announcements.

Best Crypto Airdrops This Month: Upcoming & Active Rewards | CryptoWire

There is no single best drop landing in June, but a clear shortlist of high-value candidates. CoinGecko, in its updated June 2026 airdrop guide, names Backpack, Polymarket, MetaMask and Base as the most anticipated potential airdrops of the year.

MetaMask is the headline name. In September 2025, Consensys CEO Joseph Lubin confirmed a MASK token was coming sooner than you would expect, according to The Block.

The wallet has since rolled out MetaMask Rewards, a seasonal points system that tracks on-chain trading.

Base, the Coinbase-incubated Ethereum Layer 2, is the other giant to watch. Creator Jesse Pollak said in September 2025 that the team was exploring a Base network token, a notable shift after years of regulatory caution. Using native apps like Aerodrome may strengthen eligibility if a drop happens.

Which airdrops are expected this month?

Backpack looks the most concrete. The Solana-focused exchange posted its token generation plan on 9 February 2026, pledging 25% of supply to the community 24% to points holders and 1% to Mad Lads NFT holders with its fourth points season already running since November 2025.

Polymarket is the other major expectation. Its CMO confirmed a POLY token during an October 2025 interview, and the prediction market filed a $POLY trademark on 4 February 2026.

The platform took a $2 billion investment from NYSE parent ICE in October 2025, valuing it near $9 billion.

Treat all of these as potential, not promised. CoinGecko explicitly warns that a feature on its list is no guarantee an airdrop will ever happen, and projects like OpenSea’s SEA token were delayed indefinitely in March 2026 citing weak market conditions.

ITR for Cryptocurrency in India 2026: Schedule VDA Filing Guide | CryptoWire

Crypto in India is treated as a Virtual Digital Asset (VDA) under Section 2(47A) of the Income Tax Act. Any income from transferring a VDA selling, swapping, or spending it must be declared in your Income Tax Return.

The framework was introduced in Budget 2022 and has only tightened since.

The rate is blunt. Under Section 115BBH, profits are taxed at a flat 30% plus a 4% health and education cess, regardless of your income slab or holding period. There is no distinction between short-term and long-term gains.

(Source: Koinly, CoinDCX)

Which ITR form should I use for crypto?

Use ITR-2 if you hold crypto as an investment and report capital gains.

Use ITR-3 if you trade actively and treat crypto as business income. Both forms contain Schedule VDA, where each transaction is reported separately aggregated or summary entries are typically rejected.

(Source: Patron Accounting, KoinX)

How do I report crypto in Schedule VDA?

Schedule VDA requires transaction-wise detail: date of acquisition, date of transfer, cost of acquisition, sale consideration, and the resulting income.

Only the purchase price is deductible gas fees, exchange fees and brokerage costs cannot be claimed. (Source: Patron Accounting)

Schedule VDA reporting became mandatory from FY 2025-26 onwards. Before filing, download Form 26AS and your AIS, then match the 1% TDS recorded under Section 194S against your declared transactions. A mismatch can trigger a defective-return notice. (Source: KoinX)

What is the 1% TDS on crypto (Section 194S)?

Section 194S levies a 1% TDS on VDA transfers, effective since 1 July 2022. The threshold is ₹50,000 a year for individuals without business income (specified persons) and ₹10,000 for others.

The TDS is not an extra tax. It is a credit you adjust against your final 30% liability, or claim as a refund when filing. Indian exchanges such as CoinDCX deduct it automatically and report it to users.

New Meme Coins Listed Today: Latest Launches & Listings | CryptoWire

There was no confirmed flagship exchange listing on 16 June 2026, but several tokens sit in the immediate launch pipeline. Coinspeaker names Bitcoin Hyper as its main candidate for an upcoming Binance listing this month, describing it as a Bitcoin Layer-2 built to make transactions faster and cheaper.

Two doge-themed alternatives are in focus: Maxi Doge (MAXI), a satirical “1000x leverage” gym-bro Doge token, and Build on BNB (BOB), a memecoin developed inside the Binance ecosystem that has already appeared in Binance Alpha. Binance increasingly uses Alpha as a pre-listing incubator, so Alpha exposure is often the first signal of a coming spot listing.

Which new meme coins are already trending after listing?

Some 2026 launches have already moved hard. BinanceLife, tied to a CZ-memoir narrative, was up more than 73% over 30 days as of mid-June, though it cooled from a 7 June high near $0.90 (BeInCrypto). BUILDON gained wider attention after its own Binance Alpha listing earlier in the year.

On Solana, Nietzschean Penguin (PENGUIN) launched on Pump.fun in mid-January and saw its market cap peak above $170 million within a week, according to Cryptonews a reminder of how fast, and how briefly, these tokens can run. SIREN, another recent name, jumped roughly 113% in a single week to a market cap near $887 million.

Where to Buy Dubai Coin Crypto: Exchanges, Trading & Wallet Guide | CryptoWire

Dubai Coin crypto refers to a digital asset that has appeared under different project names over the years. Because multiple tokens have used similar branding, investors should confirm the official website, contract address, and exchange listings before making any purchase.

Where Can I Buy Dubai Coin Crypto?

The availability of Dubai Coin depends on whether the token is actively traded and which exchanges currently support it.

Before buying, investors should check:

Official project website

Coin tracking platforms

Exchange listing announcements

Trading pair availability

Which Exchange Lists Dubai Coin Crypto?

Exchange support changes frequently. Investors should verify whether Dubai Coin is available on centralized exchanges, decentralized exchanges, or both.

Important checks include:

Trading volume

Liquidity

Deposit and withdrawal support

Regulatory compliance

Is Dubai Coin Available on Binance?

There is currently no verified information provided in this article confirming Binance support.

Investors should check Binance’s official listing announcements directly.

How to Buy Dubai Coin Cryptocurrency in 2026

If Dubai Coin is listed on a supported exchange, the process generally involves:

Create a verified exchange account.

Complete identity verification if required.

Deposit fiat currency or cryptocurrency.

Search for the Dubai Coin trading pair.

Place a market or limit order.

Transfer assets to a compatible wallet if desired.

Investors should always verify the token contract address before purchasing.

Can I Buy Dubai Coin in India?

Indian investors can typically access cryptocurrencies through exchanges that support local users, subject to platform availability and regulations.

Investors should also remember:

Crypto gains may be subject to applicable Indian tax rules.

Exchange availability may vary.

Compliance requirements can change.

What Wallet Supports Dubai Coin Crypto?

Wallet compatibility depends on the blockchain network on which Dubai Coin operates.

Investors should verify:

Supported blockchain

Official contract address

Hardware wallet compatibility

Mobile wallet support

Is Dubai Coin a Legitimate Cryptocurrency?

Legitimacy depends on several factors:

Public team information

Exchange listings

On-chain activity

Independent security audits

Community transparency

Investors should conduct independent research before purchasing any cryptocurrency.

Is Dubai Coin a Good Investment in 2026?

Whether Dubai Coin is a good investment depends on factors including project development, adoption, liquidity, tokenomics, and market conditions.

No investment outcome can be guaranteed, and investors should evaluate risk carefully.

Why Did Lencho Compare Raindrops to New Coins? Full Explanation | CryptoWire

Lencho is the central character of A Letter to God, a short story by Mexican writer G.L. Fuentes and the opening chapter of the NCERT Class 10 English textbook First Flight.

He is a poor but devoted farmer who works a field of ripe corn on a hilltop and depends on a single annual harvest to feed his family.

Throughout the morning, Lencho who knew his fields intimately watched the north-eastern sky, certain that rain was coming. For him a good shower was not just weather; it was the difference between a healthy crop and total ruin.

That is the emotional backdrop to his famous remark about the raindrops.

Why Did Lencho Say the Raindrops Were Like New Coins?

Lencho said the raindrops were like new coins because his profit depended directly on the rain. His corn was ripe and ready, but it still needed water to deliver a full, profitable harvest.

Since each drop helped his crop grow  and a healthy crop meant money in his pocket he saw the falling rain as falling wealth.

In his words, These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The bigger drops, he said, were ten-cent pieces and the smaller ones were fives. The link in his mind was simple and direct: more rain meant a better harvest, and a better harvest meant prosperity for his family.

What Did Lencho Compare the Big and Small Raindrops To?

Lencho gave the comparison a precise, almost playful detail. He described the big drops as ten-cent coins and the little drops as five cent coins.

By assigning each drop a coin value, he turned the rainfall into a kind of currency raining down on his land. The table below summarises the comparisons used in the story.