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We have updated our terms and conditions and privacy policy Click "Continue" to accept and continue with ET BFSI ACCEPT THE UPDATED PRIVACY & COOKIE POLICY Dear user, ET BFSI privacy and cookie policy has been updated to align with the new data regulations in European Union. Please review and accept these changes below to continue using the website. You can see our privacy policy & our cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website. If you choose to ignore this message, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on ET BFSI. * Analytics * Necessary * Newsletter NameProviderExpiryTypePurpose Google AnalyticsGoogle1 YearHTTPSTo track visitors to the site, their origin & behaviour.iBeat AnalyticsIbeat1 YearHTTPSTo track article's statisticsGrowthRx AnalyticsGrowthRx1 YearHTTPSTo track visitors to the site and their behaviour NameProviderExpiryTypePurpose optoutTimes Internet1 YearHTTPSStores the user's cookie consent state for the current domainPHPSESSIDTimes Internet1 dayHTTPSStores user's preferencesaccessCodeTimes Internet2.5 HoursHTTPSTo serve content relevant to a regionpfuuidTimes Internet1 YearHTTPSUniquely identify each userOSTIDTimes Internet1 YearHTTPSOauth secure tokenOSSOIDTimes Internet1 YearHTTPSOauth user identifierOSTPID Times Internet1 YearHTTPSused to sync accross portalsfpidTimes Internet1 YearHTTPSBrowser Fingerprinting to uniquely identify client browsers NamePurpose Daily NewsletterReceive daily list of important newsPromo MailersReceive information about events, industry, etc. I've read & accepted the terms and conditions NEWS SITES * Auto News * Retail News * Health News * Telecom News * Energy News * CIO News * Real Estate News * Brand Equity * CFO News * IT Security News * Government News * Hospitality News * HR News * Legal News * ET TravelWorld News * Infra News * B2B News * CIOSEA News * HRSEA News * HRME News Upcoming Event: CFO Meet & discussion on Revised Companies Act Sign in/Sign up * Follow us: * * * * * * * ETBFSI Exclusive * BANKING * INSURANCE * InsurTech * NBFC * FINTECH * Payments * Digital Lending * RegTech * Open API * BFSI Videos * Editor's View * Brand Solutions * REIMAGINE NEXT - THE FUTURE OF LEARNING * ETBFSI.COM CONVERGE BFSI: The world of Hyper-personalization * FUTURE READY SECURITY FOR DIGITAL-FIRST BFSI * LEARNFEST * ETBFSI EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2021 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION * THE DIGITAL NEXT: SERIES 2.1 Live Virtual Summit * 3RD EDITION OF ETBFSI CXO CONCLAVE Unlocking the BFSI Potential * JOIN THE ECONOMIC TIMES FINANCIAL INCLUSION SUMMIT 2021 * 2ND EDITION OF ETBFSI VIRTUAL SUMMIT 2021 * ET BANKING LEADERSHIP SERIES PRESENTED BY MANIPAL ACADEMY * NATIONAL COOPERATIVE SUMMIT * FINANCIAL INCLUSION & PAYMENT SUMMIT * Millennial Finance * FinTech Diary * BFSI Tech Tales * Green Finance * IBC * ETBFSI Explains * BFSI Movement * More * Blogs * Innovation Masters * POLICY * FINANCIAL SERVICES x * BFSI News * Latest BFSI News * Financial Services WHY MOST COUNTRIES ARE UNABLE TO TAKE A FIRM DECISION ON CRYPTO Regulators across the globe have come up with various definitions of cryptocurrencies. But there is no consensus, even among major economies, on how to treat decentralised virtual currencies, which are seen posing a risk to financial stability and impacting cross-border transactions. * Aseem Gujar * TNN * January 11, 2022, 08:22 IST * * * * * * * * Crypto classification dilemma: Is it an asset, property, or commodity? Regulators across the globe have come up with various definitions of cryptocurrencies. But there is no consensus, even among major economies, on how to treat decentralised virtual currencies, which are seen posing a risk to financial stability and impacting cross-border transactions. Policy advisers and legal experts say most countries are unable to formulate a policy on virtual currencies as there are no precedents apart from bans, which have been largely ineffective. Crypto’s growing popularity has caught lawmakers’ attention as it could undermine state oversight over monetary policy, capital flows, and illicit activity if left unchecked. Advertisement Online Masterclass MASTERCLASS ON PRIVATE EQUITY DEALS AND FUNDING 18 February 2022 @ 04:00 AM Transform your approach to private equity. Get the right skills and knowledge to maximise your return in this highly competitive field. Register Now Certificate of completion will be issued upon successful completion of the course While only one country — El Salvador — has recognised bitcoin as legal tender, nine others, including China, have completely banned crypto. Forty-two countries like Bangladesh have banned it ‘implicitly’, which means banks are prohibited from dealing in crypto directly or indirectly and crypto exchanges are barred too, according to a Law Library of (US) Congress report published in November last year. “Lack of consensus on crypto regulation is mainly due to the ambiguity on whether to treat crypto as a ‘currency’ or an ‘asset’. Most people are using it as a speculative investment,” said Probal Bhaduri, managing partner at Lumiere Law Partners. He added that lawmakers globally are also having difficulties in understanding the technical aspects of crypto. “Classifying crypto as a commodity can tackle market and compliance risks, but not illicit activities, financial stability, systemic and capital flight risks,” said a report by Policy 4.0, a think tank founded by blockchain expert Tanvi Ratna. In the US, some states view crypto favourably, but there is no federal regulation. For taxation, crypto has been classified as ‘property’ since 2014. Derivatives regulator CFTC has said crypto is a ‘commodity’, while markets watchdog SEC has not made any definitive statements on treatment of crypto. The Indian government is yet to firm up its view, given that all wings are not in sync on the issue — something that led to the introduction of the proposed legislation being postponed until at least the next Parliament session. The RBI has called for a complete ban on crypto as it said partial restrictions won’t work. Sebi chief Ajay Tyagi has asked mutual fund companies not to invest in crypto-related assets until the government comes out with a policy. The Policy 4.0 report said that “making laws on paper and expecting full compliance is infeasible for a technology that makes it easy to bypass controls”. The report cited examples of South Korea and China, where tough regulation and ban, respectively, have not been fully effective. “As enforcement of bans is both difficult and impractical, countries should look to establish robust regulatory frameworks on cryptocurrency and educate investors on the risk,” said Nitin Sharma, principal associate at Lumiere Law Partners. According to him, low investor maturity & susceptibility to fraud and concerns related to terror financing & money laundering will be among key factors while dealing with crypto. International Organisations like IMF and WEF have noted that though crypto can help make cross-border payments efficient and improve financial inclusion, — also a reason for its popularity in emerging economies — its operational and systemic risks means that regulation needs to be on the global agenda. An IMF report in October had said that even bank deposits and lending face a threat from crypto. A WEF report in September listed four ways in which countries can deal with crypto: ‘Wait & see’ like Brazil, a balanced approach like Singapore and the EU, comprehensive regulation like Switzerland and Japan, and restrictive methods like Turkey and Nigeria. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services Tanvi Ratna Sebi RBI Probal Bhaduri Lumiere Law Partners crypto Ajay Tyagi Read on App Read on App PEOPLE WHO READ THIS ALSO READ * PSBs set to post a massive positive cyclical surprise on the earnings front: Morgan Stanley India * Secured lending is the future of lending, says a FinTech offering gold loans * Fintechs must accept compliances will come : NPCI CEO Dilip Asbe * Paytm should be benchmarked against Bajaj Finance, says CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER 50000+ Industry Leaders read it everyday I have read Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions and agree to receive newsletters and other communications on this email ID. FINANCIAL SERVICES * 4 hrs ago SINGAPORE CBANK ISSUES GUIDELINES TO DISCOURAGE CRYPTO TRADING BY PUBLIC * 13 hrs ago IPO-BOUND INDIA1 PAYMENTS AIMS TO DEPLOY 20,000 ATMS IN NEXT 4-5 YEARS * 3 days ago ASIA’S 1ST CRYPTO ETF MAY ROLL OUT IN GIFT CITY * 3 days ago MUTUAL FUND ASSETS SEE RECORD GAINS IN 2021, EQUITY FUNDS GARNER LION'S SHARE View More EDITOR'S PICK * 8 hrs ago ACCOUNT AGGREGATORS LINK UP AROUND 83,000 BANK ACCOUNTS IN 4 MONTHS * 9 hrs ago BUDGET 2022: GOVT MAY CONSIDER LEVYING TDS/TCS ON CRYPTO TRADING * 15 hrs ago UNION BUDGET MAY TARGET FISCAL DEFICIT AT 6.4% OF GDP: REPORT * 2 days ago BARREN TREES WILL BLOSSOM WHEN THE SPRING ARRIVES * 2 days ago BARREN TREES WILL BLOSSOM WHEN THE SPRING ARRIVES BFSI VIDEOS * TECH, COLLABORATIONS, PERSONALISATION TO DRIVE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE: BANKERS Synopsis: Only technology can help BFSI companies offer world-class customer service. Considering customers are looking for an experience, what kinds of changes the banks need to do at the back-end as well as the front-end. How are they using data and analytics, AI and ML to read the customers’ minds? How accurate are bots and robots (RPA)? This session will look at the most essential tools that CXOs are betting on to tailor-made products.Moderator: Amol Dethe, Editor, ETBFSIZuzar Tinwalla, COO-India & South Asia, Standard Chartered BankCharu Mathur, CDO & Head-Business Strategy, Indusind Bank * 10 days ago DATA-DRIVEN LENDING IS THE “NEED OF THE HOUR”, SAY LEADERS * 12 days ago ETBFSI DIGITAL BANKING DIALOGUE WITH SURYODAY SMALL FINANCE BANK * 18 days ago INSURERS MUST THINK WHERE AND WHY HYPERPERSONALISATION IS NEEDED View More SINGAPORE CBANK ISSUES GUIDELINES TO DISCOURAGE CRYPTO TRADING BY PUBLIC Singapore cbank issues guidelines to discourage crypto trading by public * Reuters Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * SINGAPORE, - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) on Monday issued guidelines that limit cryptocurrency trading service providers from promoting their services to the general public, as part of a bid to shield retail investors from potential risks. Singapore is a popular location for cryptocurrency companies due to a comparatively clear regulatory and operating environment and is among the forerunners globally in developing a formal licensing framework. But the city-state's authorities have repeatedly warned that trading in digital payment tokens (DPT), or cryptocurrency, is highly risky and not suitable for the general public, as they are subject to sharp speculative swings. The new guidelines clarify the expectations of MAS that companies should not engage in marketing or advertising of DPT services in public areas in Singapore or through the engagement of third parties, such as social media influencers, to promote DPT services to the general public. They can only market or advertise on their own corporate websites, mobile applications or official social media accounts. "MAS strongly encourages the development of blockchain technology and innovative application of crypto tokens in value-adding use cases," Loo Siew Yee, MAS Assistant Managing Director (Policy, Payments and Financial Crime), said in a statement. "But the trading of cryptocurrencies is highly risky and not suitable for the general public. DPT service providers should therefore not portray the trading of DPTs in a manner that trivialises the high risks of trading in DPTs, nor engage in marketing activities that target the general public." Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services mas monetary authority of singapore marketing digital payment tokens cryptocurrency crypto news advertising Read on App Read on App IPO-BOUND INDIA1 PAYMENTS AIMS TO DEPLOY 20,000 ATMS IN NEXT 4-5 YEARS "The hike in interchange fees by RBI coupled with various structural growth drivers, including expected increase in cash withdrawal transactions, will accelerate White Label ATMs deployments in the country," he said. * PTI Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * IPO-bound India1 Payments Ltd, which is currently rolling out 300-400 ATMs in a month, is hopeful of deploying over 20,000 such machines in next 4-5 years to ensure cash availability to customers in semi-urban and rural areas, its MD and CEO K Srinivas said on Sunday. "The hike in interchange fees by RBI coupled with various structural growth drivers, including expected increase in cash withdrawal transactions, will accelerate White Label ATMs deployments in the country," he said. The ATMs which are set up, owned and operated by non-bank entities are known as White Label ATMs (WLAs). At present, the Bengaluru-headquartered company operates a network of 10,300 WLAs and deploys its ATMs under the brand name of "india1ATMs". It is the second largest ATM brand in the semi-urban and rural areas after State Bank of India (SBI). India1 Payments, promoted by the Banktech Group of Australia and formerly known as BTI Payments, has installed these machines mostly in semi-urban and rural areas across 14 states and union territories. "In the calendar year 2021 India1 has rolled out in excess of 3,000 ATMs and likely to continue at the same pace in next 4-5 years given the low penetration of ATMs in semi-urban and rural India. That should put India1 in good stead to be a large ATM network with over 20,000 ATMs," Srinivas told PTI. He further said the company will continue to focus on states like UP, Bihar and West Bengal which has low penetration of ATMs. The company focuses on ensuring availability of cash in its ATMs, especially those located in rural areas. "We are mindful that when a customer comes to our ATMs in rural areas after travelling 8-9 kms then he should be able to withdraw money," he said. Srinivas said the company may consider deploying ATMs in the northeast region next year. Currently, the company has no presence in the area. "We are committed to improving financial inclusion through accessibility of our ATM services in the under-penetrated semi-urban and rural areas of the country," he said. According to the latest data from the RBI as of September, there were 2.4 lakh ATMs in the country, of them around 28,000 are white-label machines. The company has grown over 15 per cent over last year and accounts for more than 50 per cent of incremental ATMs deployed in this period. It services over 72 million customer transactions and facilitates a gross transaction value of over Rs 13,600 crore every quarter on an average. On the company's future growth strategy, Srinivas said the company will continue to expand ATM network in semi-urban and rural regions, improve local operational capabilities and drive profitability through customer engagement and cost optimization. In addition, the company will focus on offering the micro-ATM services in remotest areas among others, he added. India1 Payments, promoted by Banktech Group, was incorporated in the year 2006 and subsequently invested by ICICI Ventures in 2013. The company, which has already received Sebi's go-ahead to float initial share-sale, plans to come out with its public issue in coming months. The initial public offering (IPO) comprises fresh issuance of equity shares worth Rs 150 crore and an offer of sale (OFS) of 1.03 crore equity shares by promoters and investors. The OFS consists of sale of 1 lakh equity shares by the Banktech Group, up to 25.08 lakh equity shares by BTI Payments Singapore, up to 49.94 lakh equity shares by India Advantage Fund S3 I, up to 24.86 lakh equity shares by India Advantage Fund S4 I and up to 2.16 lakh equity shares by Dynamic India Fund S4 US. Proceeds from the fresh issue will be utilized to repay debt, for funding capital expenditure requirements of the company, setting up of ATMs in India and general corporate purposes. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services RBI K Srinivas ipo india1 payments cash atms Read on App Read on App ASIA’S 1ST CRYPTO ETF MAY ROLL OUT IN GIFT CITY Torus Kling Blockchain IFSC, a joint venture between Mumbai-based Cosmea Financial Holdings and Hyderabad-based Kling Trading India, has signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with BSE’s international arm India INX to launch digital asset-based products, which will be traded in GIFT City’s IFSC (international financial services centre). * Partha Sinha & * Aseem Gujar * TNN Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * MUMBAI: Asia’s first cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) could be launched in India’s GIFT City this year. Torus Kling Blockchain IFSC, a joint venture between Mumbai-based Cosmea Financial Holdings and Hyderabad-based Kling Trading India, has signed an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with BSE’s international arm India INX to launch digital asset-based products, which will be traded in GIFT City’s IFSC (international financial services centre). The development comes after the US securities regulator SEC in October 2021 allowed launch of a crypto futures ETF, the first such in the US. ETFs like these track returns from cryptocurrencies without investing directly in the digital tokens. The Torus Kling crypto futures ETF will be launched in a sandbox environment, which is under GIFT regulatory authority IFSCA. Such a sandbox allows regulated entities to launch and live-test products under strict controls so that any emerging risks or faults could be quickly corrected before it affects many investors. Once the Torus Kling ETF obtains regulatory nod, Indians will be able to invest in this ETF using the RBI’s liberalised remittance scheme (LRS) route. Global investors, who have similar options in the US and Switzerland, will have another alternative to invest through the regular process. According to India INX’s MD & CEO V Balasubramaniam, the exchange is looking at launching digital asset-based products and has already made an application to IFSCA under the regulatory sandbox. “This is part of our product innovation initiative to benchmark offerings with other international finance centres,” it said. India INX plans to launch more such products. According to estimates, global annual derivatives trading volume in the cryptocurrency market is about $3.2 trillion, while total spot volume is at approximately $2.7 trillion. According to Torus Kling Blockchain IFSC’s CEO Krishna Mohan Meenavalli, this type of new asset class is just the tip of the iceberg. “ETFs allow trading through regular investment accounts, bypassing the hassle and security concerns of cryptocurrency exchanges,” he said. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services Markets GIFT city cryto Gift city cryto etf cryptocurrency crypto etf roll out crypto Read on App Read on App MUTUAL FUND ASSETS SEE RECORD GAINS IN 2021, EQUITY FUNDS GARNER LION'S SHARE Mutual funds added Rs 6.70 lakh crore — a record absolute asset gain for any calendar year on record, with the previous peak being Rs 4.80 lakh crore in 2017 * Sunainaa Chadha * TIMESOFINDIA.COM Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * NEW DELHI: Assets under management (AUM) of the domestic mutual fund industry, excluding fund of funds (FoF), closed at a record Rs 37.73 lakh crore, with equity-oriented funds cornering the lion's share as opposed to 2020 which had seen sharp inflows into debt-oriended funds, according to Crisil Research. Mutual funds added Rs 6.70 lakh crore — a record absolute asset gain for any calendar year on record, with the previous peak being Rs 4.80 lakh crore in 2017, followed by Rs 4.5 lakh crore in 2020. In percentage terms, the industry gained 22% compared with 17% in 2020. 2021 saw investors put a larger amount of their money in equity-oriented mutual funds, drawn by the strong gains in the underlying equity market. Equity mutual funds saw net inflows of Rs 91,000 crore, while passive funds got Rs 1.14 lakh crore and hybrid funds Rs 1.02 lakh crore. Passive funds and hybrid funds benefitted from a spate of new fund offers, at 41 and 8 funds, respectively. Debt mutual funds, on the other hand, saw net outflow of Rs 35,000 crore in 2021 as investors stayed away from the category amid a fall in returns and as investors waited on the side lines, monitoring probable interest hikes by the Reserve Bank of India, noted the report. In 2020, open-ended debt-oriented mutual funds saw inflows of Rs 2.01 lakh crore while equity-oriented funds saw net inflows of just Rs 9,100 crore. Hybrid funds also took a beating with an outflow of over Rs 53,000 crore. However, passive funds continued to garner money, amounting Rs 62,000 crore, led by flows from institutional investors such as the Employees’ Provident Fund of India (EPFO). SIP inflows make new calendar year, monthly records The industry logged net inflows of Rs 1.14 lakh crore in 2021 through systematic investment plans (SIPs), crossing the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for the first time in any calendar year since AMFI started declaring this data. December 2021 also saw SIP flows come in at their record monthly high of Rs 11,300 crore, after crossing the Rs 11,000-crore mark for the first time in November 2021. The number of SIP accounts rose to 4.91 crore, accounting for Rs 5.65 lakh crore of the industry’s assets as of December. ETFs become the largest MF category while liquid funds lose sheen Benefitting from the strong inflows from the EPFO and other pension trusts, together with new launches and individual investor interest, assets of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) surged to overtake liquid funds as the largest MF category in 2021. ETFs closed 2021 with assets of Rs 3.84 lakh crore compared with Rs 3.61 lakh crore for liquid funds. Liquid funds lost sheen as their returns dipped in line with low interest rates, making other money market MF categories more attractive for investors with higher risk appetite. Floating-rate, target maturity and ESG funds gain traction 2021 saw floating-rate debt funds and passively managed debt funds in the form of target maturity funds gain traction within the industry. On the equity front, there was increasing traction in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) space, as the theme of ‘conscious investing’ became popular among investors. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services reserve bank of india mutual funds Equity funds employees provident fund of Debt mutual funds crisil research Read on App Read on App DIGITAL COINS ISSUED BY INDIAN EXCHANGES TO EMPLOYEES TO FACE INCOME TAX COMPLICATIONS Many exchanges have rolled out their own tokens and offered these as part of their employees' annual income—along the lines of employee stock ownership plan or esop. In some cases, it was also linked to employee performance. * Sachin Dave * ET Bureau Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * Cryptocurrencies or digital assets issued to employees by crypto exchanges as incentives are set to come under the taxman’s lens. The question is whether the coins—most of them issued by Indian exchanges—can be construed as income and what could be the income tax applicable on the digital assets. Many exchanges have rolled out their own tokens and offered these as part of their employees' annual income—along the lines of employee stock ownership plan or esop. In some cases, it was also linked to employee performance. Tax experts say while the arrangement may look similar to an esop, it will not be treated as one under the tax laws. "Cryptocurrency or coins given to employees are nothing but salary and shouldn’t be equated to esops as these have liberal interpretation and leeway when it comes to income tax,” said Sudhir Kapadia, national leader-tax, EY India. “These coins should face normal income tax, too, on their actual market price in the year the employee received them.” This could mean that the tax department would tax these coins in the year as per their market value. Over the last two years, the value of these coins has gone up substantially, along with other established cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Industry trackers say issuing tokens as incentives to employees is gaining popularity among startups and crypto exchanges. "Token incentives are attractive to the employers as it doesn’t dilute their shares and is also quite popular among the employees since the tokens could significantly increase in value,” said Praveen Kumar, CEO at Belfrics Global, a cryptocurrency exchange. “Due to the smart contract capability of crypto assets, multiple structures and combinations can be achieved to issue restricted and non-restricted tokens. When startups use their project tokens for employee compensation, many of the crypto exchanges use their own exchange tokens for the said purpose." Tax experts say the income tax, however, will only be triggered in the year when the employee actually gets the money. "Of course, if there is an element of deferred compensation as per contract, then the incidence of taxation will be shifted to a future date depending upon the contractual terms," said Kapadia. This comes at a time when the government is looking to fix the income tax rate for cryptocurrency investors in the upcoming budget. Money earned from trading or investing in cryptocurrencies will be treated as business income as against capital gains from this year onwards as the government looks to fine-tune definition of income and gains specifically for crypto assets in the upcoming budget, ET wrote on Wednesday. This would mean that the income tax on returns for investors or traders could be as high as 35% to 42% going ahead. Top cryptocurrency exchanges and the coins they issue have already come under the taxman’s lens recently. The indirect tax department claims many exchanges issued their own cryptocurrency but did not pay GST on that. The tax department contended that GST of 18% is applicable on the coins that were sold on the exchange. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services crypto exchanges taxman Payments income tax incentives employees digital assets cryptocurrencies Read on App Read on App HERO ELECTRIC PARTNERS WITH SHRIRAM CITY UNION FOR FINANCE SOLUTIONS "The changing market scenario and increased preference for the electric vehicle, we have realized the need for strong finance schemes to boost the EV shift. Easy and preferred financing schemes will further favour the green mobility shift leading to a seamless ownership experience," Hero Electric CEO Sohinder Gill stated. * PTI Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * Hero Electric on Thursday said it has tied up with Shriram City Union Finance to facilitate loan schemes for its electric two-wheeler buyers. The collaboration aims to make the e-scooters more affordable and attract cost-conscious buyers with attractive financing solutions, Hero Electric said in a statement. The partnership will enable customers to avail a fully digital and paperless loan procedure with on-the-go financing options available 24 hours across the country, it added. "The changing market scenario and increased preference for the electric vehicle, we have realized the need for strong finance schemes to boost the EV shift. Easy and preferred financing schemes will further favour the green mobility shift leading to a seamless ownership experience," Hero Electric CEO Sohinder Gill stated. The association will promote easy accessibility and availability of innovative financial products to customers at the best rates and minimum documentation, he added. "The demand drivers for EVs are the rapid urbanisation, high cost of petroleum products, the growing sentiment for pollution control, rising need for social distancing, along with favouring policy. We are partnering with the best and are pleased to announce a partnership with Hero Electric," Shriram City MD and CEO YS Chakravarti noted. The shift to electric mobility has become inevitable and Shriram City's financing options will make EV adoption easier, he added. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services Electric vehicles shriram city Two wheelers Shriram City Union Hero Electric finance solutions EVs Electrics bikes Read on App Read on App WHEN MADURAI, NOT MUMBAI, STARTS TALKING ABOUT CARDANO In India’s small cities and towns, a generation that has hardly had any experience with stocks and bonds is talking Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano. About 83% of urban Indians are aware of digital currencies, while 16% actually own them, according to Kantar, a data analytics firm. India may be wary but that number offers a glimpse of what portfolios of the future will look like. * ET CONTRIBUTORS Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * How should crypto products be treated? How should they be brought under the tax net? What happens in case there is a major shakeup in the crypto market resulting in small investors losing money? How to make sure they are not being used for illicit activities? More questions are swirling around cryptos than there are answers. However, considering the size that they have attained, the technology underlying them and the many benefits associated, a complete ban looks highly unlikely. While reports suggest some in the government are in favour of regulating it, the RBI has stood its ground on banning crypto products. The recent raids are also seen positively as these continue to add clarity in the unregulated market. Given, the winter session did not bring any clarity on crypto assets, we are now looking for some guidelines through the budget. However, the chances remain slim. Cryptos will stay As long as the internet is going to stay, the crypto-assets are going to stay. Crypto assets are based on a technologically advanced concept called cryptography. Not just crypto assets but also a lot of networking, transaction and national & international security protocols use cryptography to send information. With keys and cypher codes, the information or data can only be received and understood by the recipient. A lot of technologists, coders, scientists and security personnel realize the value of this and believe in it. For them, crypto assets are the ideal way to transfer information related to finances. Those who have no understanding or interest in cryptography, blockchain technology, or decentralization, but are game players in the financial world, also tend to try their hands in these new-age assets. Exchanges and trading platforms come into the picture here. For those who neither come from a technical background nor a trading background, but would want to solve some major world financial problems, for them too, these crypto-assets come to the rescue. Finally, civilians and taxpayers of any country, at the end of the day, would like to make some money. For that class of people too, crypto-assets have been a hot topic. People like to know how bitcoin has increased in price, why the price fluctuates, and how some people are getting amazing results by intelligently investing in it. The road ahead Crypto assets are going to stay. Laws and regulations will only regulate the way the transactions would be carried out. A forceful outright ban will push crypto activity underground and none of the regulators wants it that way. Remember demonetisation? The then central government came out with the law that the previous currency note will not be considered as a legit value. But did that mean people stopped paper-note transactions? No. There were alternatives as to transfer money via IMPS/NEFT/Bank transfer, card swipes and the then-popular UPI transfers. New currency notes were being introduced to the market too. People transacted the same way after a month after demonetisation as they did before. The law promoted more people to get banked, link their Aadhaar, do digital payments and go cashless. The new bill might have a similar impact on how the use of crypto assets will be carried out. All that the government wants is to regulate the use of crypto-assets. The expectations from exchanges are that they trace, record and share every transaction detail that happens on their platform. The government also wants to make sure there is no illicit buying and selling of weapons, illegal activities, money laundering, terrorist activities happening which could be a major tragedy for the nation's security. Shutting doors to crypto-assets would be like shutting doors to the future. Crypto-assets, as a technology, have something for everyone. It is not merely something that resembles gambling or unlawful activities. What will be the future of crypto products in India? There is an expectation that the government will adopt a middle path on crypto products and treat them as a form of asset that will come under Sebi. Sebi has been assigned to form regulatory norms for all the exchanges & brands that encourage crypto-assets transactions on their platforms. The government also plans to launch its digital currency that would directly come under the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In that case too, as mentioned above, all we see is a shift of which assets can be used freely and which assets require scrutiny or tighter laws. Moreover, as easy as regulating crypto-assets may seem, it is not going to be a cakewalk. It took almost half a century for our government to regulate census-related data via a single ID system called Aadhaar. The same amount of time was needed to bank every Indian citizen. After the advent of the internet in the late '90s, it took almost two decades for our government to move people from cash-based transactions to internet-based transactions. So as long as there is no complete ban on crypto products, the crypto-assets are going to stay for long. What will be on the minds of an average crypto investor right now? Most average Indians are talking about it. The average Indian might halt for some time to invest any more money into assets. But chances of encashing or liquifying their long-held assets seem to be minimal as the government's stand is not fully clear yet. Those who are pro-investors would continue to trade as per their discretion and market fluctuation while keeping an eye on the NEWS around the bill. And how smooth does the journey look for cryptos in terms of navigating regulatory roadblocks? It majorly depends on Sebi officials. Sebi has not been so proactive and welcoming to the idea of it being considered as a regulatory body for cryptos. This is very new for them. This is new for India. Taking a middle ground seems to be way too challenging. We are almost as densely populated as China but have not banned any assets as of now. On the other hand, we also have not accepted crypto assets as openly as El Salvador, which would have made our lives fairly simpler. So considering that we have not been on either of the extremes (unlike China and El Salvador), the journey for cryptos in terms of navigating regulatory roadblocks doesn't seem to be smooth, but achievable. (The author is co-founder & CEO, Unocoin Technologies Private Limited) Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services cardano Union Budget upi sebi reserve bank of india cryptocurrency cryptoassets Budget 2022 blockchain Read on App Read on App COINDCX APPOINTS DIVAKAR PRAYAGA AS SENIOR VP AND HEAD OF INFORMATION SECURITY In this role, Prayaga will steer CoinDCX’s information security strategies and governance processes and spearhead an inclusive and comprehensive data protection programme to support development, research, and administrative information systems and technology. * ETHRWorld Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * CoinDCX, a crypto unicorn, has appointed Divakar Prayaga as Senior Vice President and Head of Information Security. In his new role, Prayaga will play a key role in building, scaling and sustaining CoinDCX’s security systems. Prayaga will also steer CoinDCX’s information security strategies and governance processes and spearhead an inclusive and comprehensive data protection programme to support development, research, and administrative information systems and technology. At the same time, Prayaga will chair the Information Security Advisory Committee and lead the Information Security Liaisons, championing information security within the crypto and blockchain industry, according to a statement. Before joining CoinDCX, Prayaga was Head of Cyber Defence at Flipkart. He has also served as Vice President of Cybersecurity at Wells Fargo. Prayaga has an extensive career building and scaling information security and cybersecurity protection for companies like Wipro, Unisys, and IBM, as per the statement. Neeraj Khandelwal, Co-Founder, CoinDCX, said, “In the digital first world of crypto and blockchain, information security is critical to ensuring customers enjoy uninterrupted access to digital assets and a safe trading experience.” “Divakar will be the lynchpin in advancing CoinDCX’s security systems and furthering our position as India’s safest crypto exchange, fostering a security first approach for the sector at large,” Khandelwal added. Divakar Prayaga, Senior Vice President and Head of Information Security, CoinDCX, said, “With crypto being at the forefront of the future of finance, I am thrilled to step into an exciting sector to enhance CoinDCX’s security posture and contribute to the industry’s developing information security landscape.” “As the crypto and blockchain industry is underpinned by digital technologies, information security is more paramount than ever to protect customers and companies alike from cyber-attacks and exploits. I am delighted to join the nation’s leading powerhouse and to bring my experience to strengthen safety and security standards for the ecosystem,” Prayaga added. Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services neeraj khandelwal Information Security Advisory Committee industry flipkart divakar prayaga cxo movement crypto news CoinDCX blockchain appointment Read on App Read on App ANICUT CAPITAL RAISES RS 875-CR FOR SECOND DEBT FUND The second debt fund is being closed at Rs 875 crore with successful investments across over 12 early-stage startups, with an average deal size of Rs 15-100 crore, a statement said. * PTI Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * New Delhi, Anicut Capital on Wednesday announced the successful closure of its second debt fund, Grand Anicut Fund - 2 (Category II Alternative Investment Funds) at Rs 875 crore. Anicut secured SEBI approval for its second debt fund - Grand Anicut Fund 2 (GAF -2) - of Rs 700 crore with a green shoe option to raise additional Rs 300 crore. The second debt fund is being closed at Rs 875 crore with successful investments across over 12 early-stage startups, with an average deal size of Rs 15-100 crore, a statement said. The fund plans to invest in about 30 early/growth stage companies across sectors such as consumer brands, technology, F&B, fintech, among others under categories of acquisition financing, promoter/buyback financing, growth capital and capital restructuring, it added. Portfolio companies of GAF-2 includes Wow Momos, ASG Eye Care Hospital, Akna Medical (acquired by Pharmeasy), B9 Beverages (Bira), Azure Hospitality, and Wingreens of which BSB and Wingreens have already seen successful exits. Additionally, the company intends to launch diversified funds in the future, including equity funds, financial institution based debt products and accelerator programs in collaboration with the premier institutions of the country, the statement said. "Anicut is the lender of choice for early stage/first generation companies as we provide speed of execution and flexibility which banks and NBFCs cannot provide. Dependent on the projected future cash flow of the company, we foresee investments into startups and firms that find challenges in fund accessibility. Through our continuous efforts, we are channelising synergies and focus to offer competitive advantages and support to the startups," I A S Balamurugan, co-founder and Managing Partner of Anicut Capital, said. On the successful closing of the fund, Anicut Capital co-founder and Managing Partner Ashvin Chadha said GAF-2 has established a niche for itself in the field of acquisition financing and has already invested about Rs 500 crore in various pioneering and promising startups. "We are excited to share that we also have a robust pipeline of slated deals that are undergoing due diligence of evaluation and assessments from our end and we shall be announcing them in the due course of time. In the next two quarters, the 2.0 version of Grand Anicut Fund will invest in diverse upcoming entities across various sectors like technology, consumer goods, financial services, education, healthcare and others," he added. Founded in 2016, Anicut Capital LLP is an AMC managing 2 debt and an angel fund. The team has worked on about 140 primary investments and another 70-80 investments which involved subsequent follow-on rounds and has offices in Chennai, Delhi and Bengaluru. Anicut has an Assets Under Management (AUM) of Rs 1,500 crore across three funds. PTI SR MKJ Follow and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube Financial Services wow momos wingreens sebi pharmeasy Grand Anicut Fund Debt fund ashvin chadha Anicut Capital AIF Read on App Read on App CRYPTO PRICES MOVING IN SYNC WITH STOCKS, POSING SYSTEMIC RISKS Crypto assets such as Bitcoin have matured from an obscure asset class with few users to an integral part of the digital asset revolution, raising financial stability concerns. * IANS Click Here to Read This Story * * * * * * * * New Delhi, Crypto assets such as Bitcoin have matured from an obscure asset class with few users to an integral part of the digital asset revolution, raising financial stability concerns. Given their relatively high volatility and valuations, cryptocurrencies' increased co-movement could soon pose risks to financial stability especially in countries with widespread crypto adoption, according to IMF research. It is thus time to adopt a comprehensive, coordinated global regulatory framework to guide national regulation and supervision and mitigate the financial stability risks stemming from the crypto ecosystem. Such a framework should encompass regulations tailored to the main uses of crypto assets and establish clear requirements on regulated financial institutions concerning their exposure to and engagement with these assets. Furthermore, to monitor and understand the rapid developments in the crypto ecosystem and the risks they create, data gaps created by the anonymity of such assets and limited global standards must be swiftly filled, IMF said. The increased and sizeable co-movement and spillovers between crypto and equity markets indicate a growing interconnectedness between the two asset classes that permits the transmission of shocks that can destabilise financial markets. Our analysis suggests that crypto assets are no longer on the fringe of the financial system, IMF said. The market value of these novel assets rose to nearly $3 trillion in November from $620 billion in 2017, on soaring popularity among retail and institutional investors alike, despite high volatility. This week, the combined market capitalization had retreated to about $2 trillion, still representing an almost four-fold increase since 2017. Amid greater adoption, the correlation of crypto assets with traditional holdings like stocks has increased significantly, which limits their perceived risk diversification benefits and raises the risk of contagion across financial markets, according to new IMF research. 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