Crypto Investors Demand Tax Relief in Budget 2026: TDS Cut, Loss Set-Off Key

• Cryptocurrency investors seek significant tax relief in Union Budget 2026, including a reduction in 1% TDS and permission to set off losses.
• Current regulations, imposed in Budget 2022, include a 30% tax on crypto profits and 1% TDS on transactions, pushing investors to offshore platforms.
• The industry, led by WazirX's Nischal Shetty, advocates for a TDS reduction to 0.01% to track transactions and boost India's crypto market.
• Investors also demand simplification of tax rules and a clear government policy on Virtual Digital Assets (VDA) to encourage domestic exchange use.
• The uniform 30% tax on crypto gains, treated like lottery income, disadvantages long-term investors compared to traditional assets.

Why It Matters: Crypto investors urge Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for tax reforms in Budget 2026 to revive India's digital asset market.