Cryptocurrencies equivalent to gambling: RBI Governor

New Delhi, Jan 14

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday reiterated that crypto currencies are equivalent to gambling, as their perceived value is only make believe.

Addressing a media event here, Das called for a ban on cryptos, saying there is no underlying value in it. Those supporting it call it an asset or a financial product, but there is no underlying value in it, he added.

To counter the growth of cryptocurrencies, the central bank recently launched in pilot mode, its own e-rupee or central bank digital currency (CBDC).

"Every asset, every financial product has to have some underlying (value) but in the case of crypto, there is no underlying value. So anything without any underlying, whose value is dependent entirely on make-believe, is nothing but 100 per cent speculation or to put it very bluntly, it is gambling," he said.

"Since we don't allow gambling in our country, and if you want to allow gambling, treat it as gambling and lay down the rules for gambling. But crypto is not a financial product," Das added.

He said that CBDCs are the future of money and its adoption can help save on logistic and printing costs.