Which Crypto Exchanges Are Blocked in India? FIU-IND's September 2026 Takedown List

Short answer: On 9 September 2026, India's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU-IND) issued non-compliance notices to 15 offshore crypto platforms — including WEEX, Blofin, WOO X, Pionex and XT.com — and ordered app stores and internet providers to block their apps and websites in India. Each was serving Indian users without registering under India's anti-money-laundering law (the PMLA). If you hold funds on any of the 15, withdraw and export your records now, before access is cut. FIU-registered exchanges are unaffected.

Which crypto exchanges did FIU-IND block in September 2026?

On Wednesday, 9 September 2026, the Ministry of Finance announced through a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release that the Director of FIU-IND had issued non-compliance notices to 15 offshore Virtual Digital Asset Service Providers (VDA SPs) under Section 13 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA). A separate order, issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (read with Rule 3(1)(d) of the 2025 intermediary rules), directs app stores, internet service providers and hosting companies to disable public access to the platforms' apps and web addresses.

Here are the 15 platforms named, with the operating entities the release identified:

The list is broader than order-book exchanges. It mixes centralised trading venues with instant-swap services (ChangeNow, SimpleSwap, Fixedfloat) and on-ramp providers (Guardarian), a sign that India's oversight now reaches well beyond the traditional exchange model.

Why did India flag these exchanges?

Because they served Indian users without registering with FIU-IND, and registration is mandatory regardless of where a company is based.

Virtual Digital Asset service providers were brought inside India's AML/CFT framework in March 2023, when the Department of Revenue notified the sector as a class of "reporting entities" under the PMLA. That status carries specific duties: registering with FIU-IND, running know-your-customer (KYC) checks, keeping records, and filing suspicious transaction reports.

The Ministry of Finance stressed that these obligations are "activity-based and are not contingent on physical presence of the entity in India." In plain terms: if you offer trading, transfers, custody or fiat on-ramps to Indian users, you must register — an offshore address is not an exemption. The ministry said the 15 platforms "have been found to be operating illegally without complying with the relevant provisions of the PMLA in India."

Is WEEX legal to use in India now?

No, not as of the 9 September 2026 order. WEEX — operated by Weex International Exchange LTD — is the first name on the FIU-IND non-compliance list, and internet intermediaries have been directed to disable its app and website for Indian users.

This matters because WEEX's global security credentials are genuinely strong: it publishes proof-of-reserves (reporting ratios above 100% on USDT, ETH, BTC and USDC), maintains a 1,000 BTC protection fund, keeps most client assets in cold storage, and has no record of a major hack since launching in 2018. But security and legality are different questions. An exchange can be well-run globally and still be non-compliant in a specific country. For Indian users, WEEX is currently on the wrong side of the PMLA, and that is the fact that governs access, deposits and any recourse if something goes wrong.

Is Blofin legal to use in India now?

No. Blofin — operated by BLF Global Limited — is the second platform on the same list and is subject to the same takedown order. Like WEEX, Blofin is a widely-used offshore derivatives venue, but being popular is not the same as being registered. Until Blofin completes FIU-IND registration, Indian users face the same access and recourse risks as with any other platform on the list.

What happens to my money on a blocked exchange?

This is the part to act on rather than read passively.

Once app stores, ISPs and hosting providers comply with the takedown order, access to INR on-ramps, in-app trading, deposits and customer support on the flagged platforms can shrink or stop entirely. FIU-IND's previous enforcement rounds show the practical risk clearly: recovering balances held on an unregistered offshore venue becomes much harder once access is cut, because users lose their main channel of communication with the platform.

If you hold assets on any of the 15 platforms, a sensible checklist:

1. Withdraw now, while the app and website still work — move crypto to a wallet you control or to an FIU-registered exchange.
2. Export your full transaction history (trades, deposits, withdrawals) for tax filing. You still owe 30% tax on gains and 1% TDS regardless of the platform's status.
3. Screenshot balances and open orders in case you need a record later.
4. Don't send fresh deposits to a flagged platform expecting normal service.

The Ministry of Finance repeated the government's standard caution that crypto and NFTs "are unregulated and can be highly risky" and that "there may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions."

How do I check whether an exchange is FIU-registered?

Check the FIU-IND registered-entity list directly, not a static blog post — including this one.

By early 2026, 49 crypto exchanges had registered with FIU-IND as reporting entities, of which 45 were India-based and 4 were offshore platforms serving Indian users. Registration status changes: platforms get added after they comply, and flagged after they don't. During FY 2024-25, FIU-IND imposed aggregate penalties of about ₹28 crore on non-compliant platforms, and it has tightened the rules since — January 2026 guidelines added CERT-In cybersecurity audits and extra scrutiny of P2P and unhosted-wallet transfers.

One distinction that trips people up: FIU-IND registration is an anti-money-laundering compliance status only. It is not a SEBI authorisation, an RBI approval, or a product licence. A registered exchange is legal to operate and subject to AML reporting; it does not mean your crypto is government-insured or supervised the way a mutual fund is.

Which exchanges can I still use from India?

The safe filter is simple: use an exchange that holds current FIU-IND registration.

Among globally-known offshore venues, Bybit and Binance both completed FIU-IND registration after their own earlier run-ins with the regulator (Binance registered in 2024, Bybit in February 2025 after a penalty), and neither appears on the September 2026 non-compliance list. India-native platforms such as CoinDCX and CoinSwitch are registered and offer direct INR (UPI) deposits, which the offshore venues generally route through P2P instead.

If account security is your main concern when you move, Bybit is a reasonable landing spot: it publishes proof-of-reserves, and its handling of the February 2025 breach — replenishing all user funds within 72 hours, with no customer losses — is a documented incident-response record rather than a marketing claim. Confirm its FIU-IND status is still active on the live list before you sign up, not after.

Compare current new-user offers on FIU-registered exchanges: Bybit — up to $30,000 in deposit rewards. Full exchange comparison and links → link in bio.

Disclosure: The link above is a referral link — we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. We are only linking exchanges that currently hold FIU-IND registration; we are not linking any platform on the 9 September 2026 non-compliance list, including WEEX and Blofin, for Indian users. Bonus offers are set by the exchange and may change. This is educational content, not financial advice.

Is this the first time India has done this?

No — it's the third major batch in a consistent pattern.

FIU-IND first served show-cause notices on nine offshore exchanges, including Binance and KuCoin, in late 2023; several later paid penalties and registered. In October 2025, it issued similar notices to 25 more offshore exchanges — among them BingX, LBank, CoinW, CEX.IO and Poloniex — and asked intermediaries to switch off their apps and sites. In June 2026, it asked leading exchanges to share data on over-the-counter trades above roughly ₹9.44 lakh. The September 2026 action is the same playbook, now covering swaps and on-ramps too. The direction of travel is clear: register, or lose access to the Indian market.

Frequently asked questions

Is WEEX banned in India? As of 9 September 2026, WEEX is on FIU-IND's non-compliance list and internet intermediaries have been ordered to block its app and website in India. It is not FIU-IND registered. That can change if WEEX registers, as other flagged exchanges have done before, so check the live FIU list before relying on it.

Is Blofin legal in India? No. Blofin (BLF Global Limited) is the second of the 15 platforms named in the 9 September 2026 FIU-IND order and is subject to the same takedown. It is not currently FIU-IND registered.

What are the 15 crypto exchanges India blocked in September 2026? WEEX, Blofin, Rezorex, Bitunix, DigiFinex, Toobit, XT.com, Latoken, WOO X, Pionex, ChangeNow, SimpleSwap, Fixedfloat, WhiteBIT and Guardarian. The list includes trading exchanges, instant-swap services and fiat on-ramps.

Will I lose my money if my exchange is blocked? Not automatically, but access can stop once app stores and ISPs comply, and recovering funds from an unregistered offshore venue gets harder after that. Withdraw to a wallet you control or an FIU-registered exchange while access still works, and export your transaction records.

Which crypto exchanges are FIU-registered in India? By early 2026, 49 platforms were FIU-IND registered — 45 India-based and 4 offshore. Among widely-used offshore names, Bybit and Binance are registered; domestic options include CoinDCX and CoinSwitch. Always confirm against the live FIU-IND list, as the status changes.

Does FIU-IND registration mean an exchange is government-approved and safe? No. FIU-IND registration is an anti-money-laundering compliance status only. It is not a SEBI or RBI approval and does not insure your funds. It means the platform is legally permitted to operate and must meet AML reporting duties — nothing more.

Why can India act against exchanges based outside the country? Because India's rules are activity-based. Since March 2023, any platform offering VDA services to Indian users is a "reporting entity" under the PMLA and must register with FIU-IND, regardless of where it is incorporated or hosted.

Block & Bull covers markets, money, and the chain — daily crypto and finance decoded, without the hype. Follow @blocknbull.

This article is educational content, not financial advice. Crypto is high-risk and prices can fall sharply. Regulatory status changes quickly — verify any exchange's current FIU-IND registration on the official list before acting. We use referral links for FIU-registered exchanges only and disclose this throughout.

Sources

• India's FIU Orders Takedown of 15 Offshore Crypto Apps Over AML Non-Compliance — The Crypto Times, 9 September 2026
• Ministry of Finance / PIB release, 9 September 2026 (PRID 2308131)
• India Brings 49 Crypto Exchanges Under FIU Oversight — The Crypto Times, 6 January 2026
• Indian Govt Issues Notices to 25 Offshore Crypto Exchanges — The Crypto Times, 3 October 2025
• FIU-IND Tightens Crypto Rules, Mandates Cybersecurity Audits — The Crypto Times, 10 January 2026