Taiwan has restricted domestic access to cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase and prediction market platform Kalshi after a court order tied to suspected illegal election betting before the island’s Nov. 28, 2026 local elections.
The move followed a request from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, which cited suspected violations of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act. A New Taipei court authorized Taiwan’s communications regulator and internet registry to block access to the two websites.
Access disruptions emerged in mid-October
Reports of access problems surfaced before the restriction became widely known. Some Coinbase users said they were unable to reach the exchange’s website starting on Oct. 14.
Coinbase said it was investigating the site access issues. Kalshi, for its part, said trading is not available to customers in Taiwan.
Election betting concerns drove the order
Taiwanese authorities have been scrutinizing online betting activity as part of preparations for the Nov. 28 vote, when voters will select mayors, city councilors, village chiefs, and other local officials across municipalities.
According to the report, the court-backed restrictions were sought over suspected illegal election gambling. Taiwan amended its election betting rules in June 2023, increasing penalties for both operators and participants.
Under those changes, operating election gambling schemes can bring prison terms of up to five years, while illegal wagers can also lead to fines. The rules apply not only to conventional betting operations but also to bets arranged through telecommunications networks or the internet.
Broader concern over online platforms and interference
The action against Coinbase and Kalshi comes amid wider warnings from authorities about possible overseas interference and the use of illicit financial channels to shape political activity ahead of the elections.
Taiwan has previously taken similar action against other prediction-market services. Polymarket has also been blocked in the past over concerns related to election gambling.
The report noted that Kalshi operates under U.S. regulation, but Taiwan’s treatment of election-related betting differs from the U.S. framework. That gap appears to be central to how local authorities are approaching access to such platforms during the election period.
What happens next
For now, the confirmed step is the enforcement of the court-approved access restrictions inside Taiwan while law enforcement continues monitoring possible election-related offenses.
Authorities are continuing to watch for suspected gambling activity, illegal financing, and signs of outside interference as the Nov. 28 local elections approach. Coinbase has said it is investigating the access problems, while Kalshi has indicated that trading is unavailable in Taiwan.
Source: crypto.news