RBI asks people to be cautious of bitcoins

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Saturday cautioned people about bitcoins, virtual currency which has risen sharply in value in the past few months, but said any regulation on it would come only after it understood the subject.

There was no regulation on bitcoin anywhere in the world and so people should be cautious, should understand, RBI Deputy Governor K C Chakrabarty told reporters here.
“Regulation comes only when people are doing certain business, and we come to understand that something wrong is happening.  First of all we don't understand this subject,” he said replying to a specific question.

“Neither we regulate them nor we support them. So till we understand that, have some clarity on it, how and why people are doing it, only then regulation comes,” he added.
On bankers being apprehensive about the guidelines on insurance broking, he said banks had any problem, they can write to RBI in any policy level issue for solution.

Replying to a question, he said issuance of new licences to banks would be given some time next year.

Stating that the credit offtake would improve only when the economy started doing well, he admitted that, despite all out efforts, the apex bank had not been able to bring down retail inflation.

The RBI has limitations in tackling price rise. “WPI (wholesale price index) inflation has come down. We are still determined in bringing inflation down,” he said.