India cracks down on wealthy investors over crypto tax evasion

India's tax authorities are intensifying their crackdown on wealthy cryptocurrency investors suspected of tax evasion, signaling a major shift in the country's crypto enforcement landscape. High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) are now facing increased scrutiny as Indian revenue officials investigate undeclared Bitcoin transactions and cryptocurrency holdings across major exchanges.

This aggressive enforcement action comes amid India's broader regulatory framework for digital assets, which imposed a 30% tax on cryptocurrency gains and 1% tax deducted at source (TDS) on crypto transactions. The crackdown targets sophisticated investors who may have used blockchain technology's pseudonymous nature to conceal taxable cryptocurrency income from Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets.

Market analysts suggest this enforcement wave could impact India's $6.6 billion cryptocurrency market, potentially affecting trading volumes on major platforms. The investigation encompasses various crypto activities including DeFi investments, NFT trading, and peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchanges.

As India continues developing comprehensive cryptocurrency regulations, this tax evasion crackdown demonstrates authorities' commitment to bringing digital asset transactions under traditional tax compliance frameworks, potentially influencing adoption rates among institutional investors and high-value crypto traders nationwide.