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Taiwan Restricts Access to Coinbase and Kalshi Over Election Betting Concerns

Taiwanese authorities have blocked access to Coinbase and Kalshi websites, citing concerns over election betting activities.

Taiwanese authorities have blocked access to Coinbase and Kalshi websites, citing concerns over election betting activities. This is an original Token Times brief based on reporting by Bitcoinist, with live market data added, as of Sun, 18 Oct 2026 07:15:01 UTC.

Why it matters

This development highlights the growing regulatory scrutiny of cryptocurrency-linked prediction markets and underscores the varying approaches different jurisdictions take toward this emerging sector.

Key takeaways
  • Taiwan blocks Coinbase and Kalshi over election betting concerns.
  • Move reflects increasing regulatory scrutiny of crypto prediction markets.
  • Restrictions come ahead of local elections in Taiwan.
The story so far · 2 briefs
  1. Taiwan Restricts Coinbase, Kalshi Over Election Betting Concerns
  2. Taiwan Restricts Access to Coinbase and Kalshi Over Election Betting Concerns — this brief

Taiwanese authorities have reportedly blocked access to the websites of Coinbase and Kalshi, citing concerns over election betting activities. This move comes as Taiwan prepares for upcoming local elections and reflects the country's cautious approach to cryptocurrency-linked prediction markets.

The restrictions on Coinbase and Kalshi are part of a broader trend of regulatory scrutiny facing crypto prediction markets. These platforms, which allow users to bet on the outcomes of various events using cryptocurrencies, have faced increasing attention from regulators worldwide due to concerns over market manipulation and illegal activities.

The action by Taiwanese authorities underscores the varying approaches different jurisdictions are taking toward cryptocurrency and its associated services. While some countries are embracing the technology and its potential, others are implementing stricter regulations to mitigate perceived risks.

In the broader market context, the total cryptocurrency market cap stands at $2.81 trillion, with Bitcoin showing a modest 24-hour gain of 0.25%. The overall market sentiment, as indicated by the Fear & Greed Index, remains in the 'Neutral' range at 53, suggesting a cautious approach by investors amid regulatory developments.

The implications of this move by Taiwan could signal a more aggressive stance by other jurisdictions toward crypto prediction markets. Market participants will likely be watching for any further regulatory actions and how platforms like Coinbase and Kalshi respond to such challenges.

The market when this published · October 17, 2026
Total market cap₹266.71T
Bitcoin 24h+0.25%
Ethereum 24h-0.55%
BTC dominance58.5%
Fear & Greed53 · Neutral

Taiwan Restricts Access to Coinbase and Kalshi Over Election — questions & answers

Why did Taiwan block Coinbase and Kalshi?

Taiwan blocked Coinbase and Kalshi due to concerns over election betting activities.

What is the current state of the crypto market?

The total crypto market cap is $2.81T, with Bitcoin up 0.25% in 24 hours.

How does this affect the broader crypto market?

The move reflects increasing regulatory scrutiny, potentially impacting investor sentiment and platform operations.

Which outlets reported this story?

This is an original Token Times brief that synthesises reporting from Bitcoinist. It is not a copy of any one article — follow the source links above for the original reporting.

In this storyCoinbase Company
Token Times Newsdesk Data-stamped

Token Times's newsdesk writes original briefs by synthesising coverage from across the crypto press — 50+ outlets including CoinDesk, The Block, Decrypt and Cointelegraph — cross-checking the figures they report — and verifying them against on-chain data from DeFiLlama and mempool.space — plus live market context (CoinGecko, Binance). We summarise and link to every source; we never reproduce full articles. Read our editorial standards and how we use AI. Not financial advice.

Market data verified against CoinGecko & Binance · October 18, 2026 ⛓ Timestamped at Bitcoin block #971,948 sha256:b5bbfbc1114b5503
Based on reporting by Bitcoinist — this is an original Token Times summary with live market data, not the original article.Bitcoinist · Oct 17 20:43 ↗

Original summary — not financial advice. This is an original Token Times brief that summarises a development reported elsewhere and adds live market data for context; it is not the original article and reproduces no part of it. Follow the source link above for full details. Crypto is volatile and high-risk — always do your own research.