Major global banks have already cleared their intention towards crypto currency by spreading negative news about it. Many banks have suspended accounts of crypto business entities. Overall banks are extremely negative about this crypto currency market and they are trying to discourage people from using it in an organized way. They have thrown us in to a challenge where the playing ground is not even. However, banks in India have not yet shown any big threat to the crypto related business until today.
Today morning while checking my email, I found an email sent out by my bank that talks about crypto currency. While the tone of the email is pretty much neutral but that's enough to create a confusion among the people especially those who doesn't know anything about crypto currency in general. See the picture below,
Just in case, the picture doesn't show up, I have copied the text from the email below,
Dear Customer,
We request you to take note of the following important information.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI), vide its press releases dated December 05, 2017 has raised concerns and cautioned users, holders and traders of Virtual Currencies (VCs), including Bitcoins, regarding the potential economic, financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security related risks associated in dealing with such VCs and also clarified that it has not given any licence/authorization to any entity/company to operate such schemes or deal with Bitcoin or any VC.
The Government has also advised that “Distributed ledger system or the block chain technology allows organization of any chain of records or transactions without the need of intermediaries. The Government does not consider crypto-currencies legal tender or coin and will take all measures to eliminate use of these crypto-assets in financing illegitimate activities or as part of the payment system.”
Given concerns, both globally and locally including from the Reserve Bank of India, IDBI Bank would like to caution you regarding the potential economic, financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security related risks associated in dealing with cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoins and virtual currencies.
Assuring you of our best services at all times.
Regards,
IDBI Bank Ltd., Mumbai.
This is an organized effort undertaken by the banks to discourage general people from the crypto currency. I don't know what legal grounds they have but it is clear that they are considering crypto currency as a potential risk to their business. If this continues, it will be hard for the community to attract new investors.
Thanks for sharing this mail,it show how the government is really determined to scare people off bitcoin that could potential make their life easier in many ways.The Japanese are having an increase in their GDP due to the positive impact of bitcoins because their government allowed their citizens to profit from bitcoins,on thee contrary,we are having the government of india banning its citizens from bitcoins,even threatening its citizens.They are employing the old cliche that bitcoins are used to finance illegal activities.Reserve bank of india should think of the interest of its citizens.this is sad.