Taiwan has reportedly moved to block domestic access to Coinbase and prediction market platform Kalshi weeks before local elections scheduled for Nov. 28. Bloomberg reported that a New Taipei court authorized the island’s communications regulator and internet registry to restrict access to the two platforms after investigators raised concerns about possible election-related betting.

Several Coinbase users were said to have been unable to reach the site since Oct. 14. The action comes before Taiwan’s first local elections since President Lai Ching-te took office in 2024, adding to a wider pre-election crackdown on illicit financial activity and underground gambling.

Court order follows election-law concerns

According to the reported court ruling, Taiwan’s Criminal Investigations Bureau asked for the restrictions on suspicion that the platforms could run afoul of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act. That law bars operating gambling for profit based on the outcome of an election.

The order allowed Taiwan’s regulator and internet registry to cut off local access to Coinbase and Kalshi. The bureau said the measure was intended to protect election integrity and reduce the risk of overseas interference, although no further details were provided.

Coinbase and Kalshi respond differently

Coinbase acknowledged reports of access problems and said it was investigating. The company’s statement followed user complaints that access disruptions had started on Oct. 14.

Kalshi, for its part, said it does not allow trading in Taiwan. The report did not indicate that the company had confirmed any technical block on its side, only that Taiwanese authorities had sought to restrict domestic access.

No allegation of China-linked funds in the case

Taiwanese authorities have not accused either Coinbase or Kalshi of processing money from mainland China. Even so, officials have warned that funds from China could reach Taiwan through underground channels and be used to influence elections.

That warning appears to form part of the broader backdrop to the case rather than a direct allegation against the two companies. The available report did not provide evidence tying the platforms to such flows.

Broader pre-election enforcement push

The Nov. 28 vote will determine a wide range of local positions, including local officials, village chiefs, city councillors and mayors. Authorities have been increasing scrutiny of underground gambling and suspicious cross-border financial activity in the run-up to the ballot.

For now, the confirmed next step is the implementation of the court-backed access restrictions while Coinbase investigates the reported outage and Kalshi maintains that trading from Taiwan is not permitted. No additional enforcement action against either company was described in the report.

Source: cryptopotato.com