Cryptocurrency
Crypto P2P scams in India show digital asset education is needed

Peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency trading has been a staple of the cryptocurrency community since the industry’s early days.
P2P trading refers to the direct exchange of cryptocurrencies between two users without the involvement of intermediaries. P2P exchanges link buyers and sellers while also adding an extra degree of security through an escrow service. Some of the key advantages of P2P over centralized exchanges include global accessibility, a variety of payment alternatives and no transaction fees.
Furthermore, P2P marketplaces have become crucial for crypto traders and enthusiasts in jurisdictions where governments are hostile to formal cryptocurrency exchanges and service providers.
In India, they became a lifeline for many crypto traders when the country’s central bank issued a banking ban on cryptocurrency businesses in April 2018.
Although the banking ban was eventually lifted by the Supreme Court in March 2020, P2P platforms continue to play a crucial role as banks remain sceptical about offering services to crypto exchanges due to a lack of regulatory clarity.
During the bull market in 2021–2022, India saw a significant surge in crypto trading volumes and crypto platforms, prompting the government to take notice of the nascent ecosystem.
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While industry leaders demanded a comprehensive regulatory framework, which has been under development since 2019, the Indian finance minister announced a 30% tax on crypto profits in 2022.
The heavy tax, in addition to the continuing lack of regulatory clarity, has been the bane of the budding Indian crypto ecosystem, deterring Indian investors away from the market.
While mainstream crypto exchanges struggled, P2P platforms saw their volumes skyrocket.

How P2P scams happen
This rise in P2P trading volume also led to significant uptick in P2P scams. These scams often use stolen banking data or lure customers with fake promises of high profits and then use their banking information to scam P2P users.
Earlier in July, two people were arrested in the Indian city of Ujjain in connection with a Binance P2P scandal. The police recovered several fake bank accounts, ATM cards and documents from the accused, who were allegedly buying fake IDs and personal data for 1,500 Indian rupees ($18) in order to scam users of Binance P2P.
Two Accused In Binance P2P Scam Arrested In Ujjain, India
Two accused of scamming people on #Binance P2P arrested by police in Ujjain, India. Many fake bank accounts, ATM cards and documents are seized from accused
The accused used to buy Fake ID Proofs and personal data… pic.twitter.com/Nt5GxhVmio
— Ajay Kashyap (@EverythingAjay) July 11, 2023
One way P2P scammers steal user data is with the help of fake crypto-centered channels on Telegram that promise high profits or airdrops. Many gullible users looking to make a quick profit often join these channels and share their personal banking information. In many other cases, the scammer simply buys or steals the user’s personal information.
The stolen data is then used to create a P2P account on any popular P2P platform — Binance and WazriX are common in India.
The scammer then initiates a buy order on the P2P platform looking for unsuspecting sellers. Once they match with a seller, they send the money to the seller using the victim’s account. Thus, they complete the P2P transaction on the platfrom where the buyer receives the cryptocurrency and the seller receives the money in their bank account.
The buyer (scammer) then vanishes with the crypto and the victim whose bank account was used to send the money only realizes it after the money has been deducted from their bank account.
The victim then lodges a complaint with the police whose first step is to freeze all bank accounts that the victim has interacted with during the scam phase.
This action from the police triggers an extended account freeze for unsuspected sellers of the P2P platform who only realize they were involved in the scam after they get a call from the police or their bank informs them that their account has been frozen.
In one instance, a seller, who wished to remain anonymous, received a “bank account frozen” message while trying to pay for a taxi. After contacting the bank, the seller learned that the halt was requested by the police’s cyber division responsible for looking into online crimes.
When the seller then followed up on the complaint with the police and enquired about the freeze on the account, they were met with threats of legal consequences from the Enforcement Directorate, India’s economic intelligence agency, for a $40 P2P completed transaction on WazirX in October 2022.
The police complaint was filed by a woman who was scammed out of $30,000 between September 2022 and June 2023. The police started the investigation and froze every bank account that interacted with the plaintiff’s accounts during the mentioned time frame, including the sellers for the October transaction.
The seller tried to explain to the police officer that they had successfully completed the P2P transaction and thus have no role in the scam. Despite this, the police ignored their claims, erroneously claiming that crypto transactions are illegal and stating that they must pay the complainee $40 or face further legal action.
With no other options left, the victim eventually paid the $40 amount to the plaintiff’s account after which the police released an order to unfreeze the account.
The police did not respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment.
The bank account restrictions limit unsuspected victim’s access to cash, and the complexities involved in getting the issue fixed are significant. The seller — who often is also unaware of the scam until the last moment — could be subject to a legal investigation or be required to provide evidence.
Problem using P2P in India still continues. @cz_binance do something. @TheOfficialSBI Got my account frozen. pic.twitter.com/Y6By4l5RGy
— Balamurugan Lakshmanan (@balamurugankl) July 11, 2023
There have been several instances of such P2P scams over the past year where victims noted their fear of authorities, with police often threatening legal actions. The anonymous seller told Cointelegraph that their account was frozen with 50,000 rupees in it, adding that they are very afraid of how to approach authorities and whether they would face legal consequences.
Some advise against P2Ps
Due to a lack of clear guidelines around crypto-related crimes and a lack of understanding of the technology underpinning cryptocurrencies, police investigations often start with freezing the accounts of anyone involved in the situation.
Pushpendra Singh, a prominent crypto personality and educator in the Indian crypto ecosystem, told Cointelegraph that scammers take advantage of the police’s ignorance of how crypto works:
“What these scammers do is they often use platforms, such as international Binance platform, to evade investigation from the Indian authorities, as it becomes quite difficult for the authorities to demand documents from such international platforms. Scammers then take the stolen USDT to Trust Wallet or any other non-KYC’d platform to avoid being tracked. While scammers get away with the money, both buyer and seller in the transaction face financial and legal consequences.”
Singh said that Indian police need to be actively trained on how these scams work. He noted that the “lack of awareness around the nascent tech also leads to victim harassment where many victims are often told by the police that crypto transactions are illegal in India.”
P2P scams have become very common and concerning to the point where the majority of crypto experts in India have now asked traders to avoid P2P trading. Sumit Gupta, CEO of CoinDCX — a major crypto exchange in India — said crypto traders should avoid P2P transations.
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He said that many people in India got a notice from various government authorities just because they unknowingly sent money from someone who wasn’t the right person to deal with.
Guys, P2P is extremely risky. I’ve been telling folks to avoid using any kind of P2P platforms, it’s an open invitation to trouble.
I know so many people in India got notice from various govt authorities just because they unknowingly sent INR or received INR from someone who… https://t.co/3CoyceiPwP
— Sumit Gupta (CoinDCX) (@smtgpt) April 28, 2023
Other crypto personalities have urged traders to be vigilant and make sure the P2P account one is interacting with has a good history.
What started out as a crypto revolution has turned into a weak spot for the Indian crypto ecosystem.
Collect this article as an NFT to preserve this moment in history and show your support for independent journalism in the crypto space.
Cryptocurrency
DWF Ventures Analyzes Performance of Binance Alpha and Spot Listings

[PRESS RELEASE – Dubai, UAE, June 13th, 2025]
Leading web3 investor DWF Ventures has published an analysis of Binance Alpha and Spot listings. It examines the performance of projects that have reached the exchange’s spot market following a token launch on Binance Alpha.
DWF Ventures has comprehensively analyzed the projects that have featured on Binance Alpha following the introduction of the listing mechanism in 2024. It highlights the increased transparency that Alpha brings by enabling users to appraise the merits of emerging tokens, some of which have the potential to migrate to a Binance Spot listing.
Research conducted by DWF Ventures has found that of the more than 190 projects to have been selected by Binance Alpha to date, more than 70% are currently trading at below $50M market cap, while a handful of outliers such as Ondo and Virtuals have surpassed $1B valuation.
DWF Ventures’ analysis also shows that memecoins and AI agents have dominated Binance Alpha projects with DeFi in third place. Memecoins and AI agents surpass all other onchain sectors featured in Binance Alpha combined. DWF further found that Solana was the most popular chain for featured projects, followed closely by BNB Chain and Ethereum.
Key findings from DWF Ventures’ Binance Alpha report include the fact that around 10% of Alpha projects converted to a Spot listing, with a total of 19 making the grade. DeFi and memecoins had the highest conversion rate, while the most valuable projects after Ondo and Virtuals were Maple Finance and Cookie DAO.
DWF Ventures summarizes its report by noting that projects that migrate from Alpha to Spot are typically defined by active social media engagement, high trading volume, and are category leaders in popular onchain verticals. The full DWF Ventures report can be read here.
About DWF Labs
DWF Labs is the new generation Web3 investor and market maker, one of the world’s largest high-frequency cryptocurrency trading entities, which trades spot and derivatives markets on over 60 top exchanges.
Learn more: https://www.dwf-labs.com/
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Cryptocurrency
Roam Launches on Binance Alpha and Solana’s Meteora DEX, Expands Cross-Chain Access via BSC Integration

[PRESS RELEASE – Vancouver, Canada, June 13th, 2025]
Roam, the open wireless network powered by WiFi and eSIM technologies, today announced its official listing on Binance Alpha, alongside the launch of a liquidity pool on Meteora, the leading Solana-based DEX. This dual listing marks a significant step in Roam’s cross-chain expansion, boosting $ROAM token accessibility across both BNB Chain and Solana ecosystems.
Beginning June 13 at 13:00 UTC, eligible Binance users can participate in the ROAM Alpha campaign and claim rewards through Binance’s official event portal. Simultaneously, liquidity providers on Meteora can earn platform-specific incentives via Roam’s official LP pool.
Staking and Airdrop Rewards for General Users and Roam Miners
Roam is introducing a high-yield staking program offering an average 35% APY for general users. Meanwhile, Roam Miner users can access a dedicated staking pool with 500 $ROAM staking capacity per device, a guaranteed 100% APY, and monthly airdrops of 40 $ROAM per device for six consecutive months.
This reward structure is designed to align long-term community participation with Roam’s DePIN-based infrastructure and token economy.
Binance Alpha: Early Access to Curated Web3 Projects
Binance Alpha is Binance’s discovery platform for early-stage Web3 tokens, offering users curated access to high-potential projects. ROAM was selected based on its ecosystem growth, on-chain traction, and technical innovation.
With Alpha’s streamlined “Quick Buy” feature, users can purchase ROAM without adjusting slippage or navigating gas-intensive environments. Enhanced trade routing and MEV protection ensure security and efficiency. Participants can also earn Alpha Points by trading or holding ROAM, unlocking airdrops, and other future benefits.
Meteora Listing Enhances $ROAM Liquidity on Solana
Roam’s debut on Meteora—the dynamic liquidity protocol developed by the team behind Jupiter—brings sustainable market depth to $ROAM within the Solana DeFi ecosystem. Meteora’s DLMM architecture, AMM vaults, and liquidity aggregation reduce volatility and deliver optimized capital efficiency for LPs.
The integration strengthens Roam’s Solana presence while supporting long-term DeFi adoption and trading scalability.
BSC Integration Enables Cross-Chain Token Access via Roam App
To improve user accessibility and trading flexibility, Roam has enabled native cross-chain support via Wormhole’s NTT framework, allowing users to bridge ROAM between Solana and BNB Chain directly within the Roam App. The process is intuitive, requiring no third-party tools or external wallets.
This BSC integration introduces $ROAM to new users across Binance’s CEX and DeFi ecosystems while offering reduced transaction costs. Users can deposit directly from Binance accounts and access $ROAM on platforms such as PancakeSwap. The feature complements Binance Alpha’s zero-fee trading promotion (March 17–September 17, 2025), further reducing onboarding friction.
Building Real-World Adoption Through Decentralized Connectivity
Roam is expanding its presence as a decentralized infrastructure provider focused on enabling real-world connectivity. Backed by OpenRoaming and eSIM technologies, Roam has deployed over 10 million WiFi nodes, serving more than 2.8 million global users.
With the Roam App, users can connect to nearby Roam WiFi hotspots and earn Roam Points by contributing to the network—through adding WiFi nodes, completing WiFi Check-Ins, and participating in community-driven campaigns. These points can be converted into $ROAM tokens, creating a tangible bridge between user contributions and token utility.
Roam’s token model supports real yield through network growth, and its expanding ecosystem includes targeted advertising, Web3 travel integrations, and enterprise-grade eSIM services trusted by partners like Bybit and MEXC. The soon-to-launch Premium eSIM will integrate voice, SMS, and high-speed data, with users able to purchase service directly using $ROAM—strengthening utility across both consumer and enterprise use cases.
About Roam
Roam is focused on building a decentralized global open wireless network that provides seamless, secure connectivity for individuals and smart devices, whether stationary or mobile. Through a blockchain-based credential infrastructure, Roam has supported the adoption of WiFi OpenRoaming among small and medium-sized businesses.
As highlighted in Messari’s 2024 State of DePIN report, Roam is recognized as the fourth-largest DePIN project globally, with a network of over 2.1 million nodes spanning 200 countries and a user base of 2.4 million registered app users. The network also enables access to free eSIM data through participation in activities such as building and validating WiFi nodes, demonstrating Roam’s role in advancing adoption within the DePIN sector.
Users can contact Roam via:
Twitter: https://x.com/weRoamxyz
Telegram: https://t.me/WeRoamXYZ
For more information, users can visit the Roam App or follow official exchange announcements.
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Cryptocurrency
Sharplink Becomes Largest Public ETH Holder With $462M Purchase but Shares Tumble

Sharplink Gaming has taken a major step into the crypto space by establishing an Ethereum Treasury Reserve and acquiring over $462 million worth of ETH. This move makes the company the largest public holder of ETH, second only to the Ethereum Foundation.
According to a press release, Sharplink purchased 176,270.69 ETH at an average price of $2,626, totaling approximately $462.9 million. The acquisition reflects a major shift in the firm’s strategy, placing Ethereum at the center of its digital asset reserves.
Sharplink’s ETH Funding Strategy
To fund the purchase, Sharplink raised $425 million through a private placement deal and another $79 million via an at-the-market (ATM) equity offering. The company used most of these proceeds to acquire ETH, highlighting its strong commitment to building a substantial crypto reserve.
As a result, Sharplink reported an 11.9% increase in ETH per share since June 2. It has also deployed over 95% of its ETH into staking and liquid staking protocols, contributing to Ethereum’s network security while generating passive yield.
Stock Dips Despite Ethereum Bet
Despite Sharplink’s bullish ETH announcement, its stock (SBET) experienced sharp volatility. According to Google Finance, the stock dropped 12.25% on Thursday to close at $32.50, then plunged to as low as $8 in after-hours trading.
However, by Friday, it had recovered slightly to $11.05, still down about 66% over 24 hours. Nonetheless, the stock remains up nearly 230% over the past month and 37% year-to-date.
Meanwhile, the steep drop came after Sharplink filed an S-3 registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing outlined a possible resale of 58.7 million shares issued during a previous private investment in public equity (PIPE) offering, involving more than 100 investors.
In turn, this triggered fears of dilution, prompting a wave of selling. In response, Sharplink Chairman Joseph Lubin clarified on X that the filing doesn’t reflect any current sales. He explained that it only registers shares in case past investors choose to sell later.
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