I want to address what happened to Neeraj and me last week. Of course, it was quite shocking to us as well and honestly very disheartening. But today, we want to talk about what actually happened and more importantly, what we’re going to do about it.
On March 21, we were taken into police custody in connection with a fraud complaint. Three days later, on March 24, a Thane court granted us bail, finding that prima facie, no case was made out against us. The fraud at the centre of this complaint was carried out through a fake website - "https://t.co/mn7Ou56fXE" by impersonators who have absolutely no connection to our platform, our systems, or CoinDCX. No money moved through CoinDCX. No transaction occurred on our exchange. The complainant himself confirmed in court that he did not know us and had never met us.
I'll be honest: our experience was deeply unsettling. Not because we doubted the facts -- we knew from the first moment that this had nothing to do with us. But because it made something painfully clear: the ecosystem we operate in doesn't yet have the tools to tell the difference between the people building this industry responsibly and the people exploiting it.
Think about what this precedent means: if a scammer uses your brand, your name, your face in a fake website and defrauds someone, you can be arrested. Not the scammer. You. This Could Happen to Any founder, Any Business.
That has to change.
And we've decided that CoinDCX will lead that change - not with words, but with actions. Today, we are announcing Digital Suraksha Network (D.S.N.) - a ₹100 crore commitment from CoinDCX to build the cyber safety infrastructure that India's digital finance ecosystem needs but does not yet have. This is not a crypto problem. This is a problem across any company which has a digital footprint.
Here's what we're building:
→ 24x7 WhatsApp helpline: free for everyone, not just CoinDCX users, to verify links, platforms, and offers before you transact.
→ Open Fraud Intelligence API: We have already documented 1,200+ fraudulent websites impersonating CoinDCX. That data sat inside our systems. Not anymore. We're building an open API to share this intelligence in real time and inviting every exchange, fintech, bank, and digital lender to contribute. A shared immune system for India's digital finance ecosystem.
→ Cyber Safety Infrastructure for Law Enforcement: The Digital Suraksha Network will fund training programmes for state cybercrime cells on blockchain forensics and digital asset tracing.
→ "Caution Before Transaction": a nationwide initiative to give every Indian the tools to participate in digital finance safely.
We know that no single company can solve this. Fraud networks are sophisticated, cross-border, and evolving daily. Nowadays, they make use of AI that makes them exponentially harder to catch. But someone has to start to fix this problem from the root.
We are putting ₹100 crore on the table because the ecosystem cannot afford to wait. I am asking every platform, every regulator, and every Indian who participates in digital finance to join us.
We want to ensure that anyone building startups in India like us can do so with confidence, and not with fear.
Saddened to learn that Shri K.R. Srivats (@srivats71), Associate Editor- The Hindu Businessline has passed away.
A senior and experienced journalist @srivats71 covered the Ministry of Finance with insight and journalistic integrity.
His contributions to economic journalism will always be remembered.
Heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and loved ones.
Good News!
Dr Rukmini Banerji of @Pratham_India is a 2021 @YidanPrize for Education Development Laureate. The Yidan Prize recognises individuals/teams who have contributed significantly to the theory and practice of education. Read more https://t.co/RLuaIriMhE
Congratulations!!
As someone famous once said, we always underestimate what can be achieved in the long terms. Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana a visionary launch in 2014 by @PMOIndia and pursued assiduously by @RBI and Indian Banks has surpassed 400million accounts and Rs1.4trillion deposits
We are resolute about getting Mumbaikars fully vaccinated, and we are teaming up with private organisations to reach out to more people in lesser time. Paid a visit to the vaccination center for Dharavi residents supported by @JaslokHospital under the CSR initiative of @Citibank
India's Supreme Court handed Amazon a major victory in a case where it has sought to stall its partner Future Group's $3.4 billion retail assets sale to rival Reliance Industries https://t.co/1AKJ9Ag9c4
.@Citibank व @JaslokHospital_ यांनी एकत्र येऊन सीएसआर च्या माध्यमातून धारावी येथे १ लाख व्यक्तींचे लसीकरण करण्याचा निश्चय केला आहे.
धारावी येथील महानगरपालिका शाळेत खासगी लसीकरण केंद्र सुरू करण्यात आले असून लाभार्थ्यांना एकत्रित करण्यासाठी स्वयंसेवी संस��थांची मदत घेण्यात येत आहे
For a safer tomorrow!
@Citibank with @JaslokHospital_ have pledged to vaccinate 1lakh people in Dharavi as a part of their CSR initiative.
A private CVC has also been set up at Dharavi's Municipal School. Beneficiaries are being mobilised with the help of NGOs.
Thanks Nadhiya. Hope to see many more corporates, hospitals and members of civil society join hands to make this a movement @Citi@Citibank#VaccineForAll
.@CitiIndia launches largest public-private partnership to vaccinate individuals from low-income households. At Dharavi, Mumbai. Targets 2 lakh vaccinations
Pvt bank MD&CEO tenure capped at 15 years (for promoters/major shareholders 12 years). Will @RBI cap tenure of large #NBFC bosses? Ravi Parthasarathy headed @ILFSGroup for 30 years, in different capacities. Some NBFCs take public deposits, others loan from banks (public money)
.@Citi has decided to sell its consumer business in India. Knowing the leadership team well, you can be certain this decision has been taken after careful deliberation and every effort will be made to find the right home for #Citi’s loyal customers and extraordinary #employees
@Citi has decided to sell its consumer business in India. Knowing the leadership team well, you can be certain this decision has been taken after careful deliberation and every effort will be made to find the right home for #Citi’s loyal customers and extraordinary #employees
Spoke to PM @sugawitter of Japan on phone. We reviewed the progress in various ongoing bilateral initiatives. We also discussed our cooperation in diverse areas including high technology, skill development and in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic together.
.@Citigroup to exit India retail business along with a dozen markets but India remains key market for institutional business. @CitibankIN boss Ashu Khullar says it will continue to deliver innovative digital solutions backed by global network to support large, mid cos & start-ups
People experience genuine pleasure—a rush of dopamine—when processing information that supports their beliefs. “It feels good to ‘stick to our guns’ even if we are wrong,” researchers say. https://t.co/al2OS7maFd
“Stepping out of your comfort zone helps you learn something new, and over the years, it has kept me curious, energized, and humble.” Citi’s Titi Cole shares what fuels her success in @BusinessInsider. Read more from her and other black women executives: https://t.co/o0QLQgCwtS
Bad bank is a great initiative but can turn into an accounting gimmick unless foreign investors are brought in: K Balasubramanian, Citibank India @ETMarkets@ETFinance
https://t.co/i0reBFeD9M