Taiwan Restricts Access to Coinbase and Kalshi Amid Election-Betting Probe
Taiwan has authorized restrictions on domestic access to Coinbase and Kalshi while investigators look into suspected violations of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act. Public reports do not identify specific bets involving either platform. No charges against the companies had been reported at the time of publication.
- A New Taipei court authorized website-access restrictions requested by the Criminal Investigation Bureau.
- Coinbase users reported access problems starting October 14, 2026; Kalshi said trading was unavailable in Taiwan.
- Officials cited election integrity and “overseas interference” but have not publicly detailed the conduct behind the request.
- Taiwan’s local elections are scheduled for November 28, 2026.
What the Court Order Establishes
Bloomberg reported that a New Taipei court authorized Taiwan’s communications regulator and internet registry to restrict access to the Coinbase and Kalshi websites within Taiwan. The order followed a request from the Criminal Investigation Bureau over suspected violations of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, according to crypto.news.
The order restricts access during an investigation. It does not establish that either company broke the law. Available reports do not identify specific transactions or show that Taiwanese users could access election contracts.
Some Coinbase users reported trouble accessing the site starting October 14, 2026. Coinbase said it was investigating but did not give a timetable for restoring access. Kalshi said it did not allow trading in Taiwan. That statement does not reveal what activity prompted the bureau’s request.
The bureau said it sought the restrictions to protect election integrity and prevent “overseas interference.” That is the agency’s stated rationale. Reports have not presented evidence linking either company to foreign political funding or interference.
Prediction Markets and Taiwan’s Election Laws
Prediction markets let users trade contracts tied to future events. A contract’s value or settlement depends on the outcome, such as an election result. The trading format may look like a financial product, but calling something an “event contract” does not determine how local laws apply. Taiwan’s rules, as described in reports, prohibit bets on election and recall outcomes, including wagers placed online.
Coinbase entered the prediction-market business through a partnership with Kalshi. In January 2026, Coinbase expanded Kalshi-powered prediction markets across all 50 U.S. states for eligible users, according to crypto.news. That U.S. rollout does not show that the same products were available to Taiwanese users.
Taiwan amended its election-gambling rules in June 2023, Taipei Times reported. Crypto.news reported that individuals convicted of placing prohibited election bets under the Public Officials Election and Recall Act may face up to six months in prison. Those operating gambling businesses for profit may face up to five years. Article 103-1 also sets fines of up to NT$100, 000 for illegal wagers and up to NT$500, 000 for operating prohibited gambling activities, alongside applicable prison sentences.
The Ministry of Justice reported 2, 607 election-related criminal cases during the preceding election period in January 2024. Of those, 1, 222 were suspected gambling cases involving 1, 103 individuals, according to figures cited by crypto.news. These figures count cases and people suspected of offenses, not convictions. They also do not indicate activity on Coinbase or Kalshi.
What Remains Unclear
The key unanswered question is what specific conduct led the bureau to seek the restrictions. Public reports do not say whether Taiwanese users placed election-related wagers through either platform, which products or transactions were under scrutiny, or what evidence prompted concern about overseas interference.
The reported action covers domestic access to the websites, but its full technical scope is unclear. Reports have not disclosed the court order’s date, whether the restrictions have an end date, or when Coinbase access might return. Kalshi’s U.S. regulatory disputes over event contracts do not answer these questions. Those cases concern U.S. rules, including sports markets, rather than election betting under Taiwanese law.
Key Questions and Answers
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Why did Taiwan restrict access to Coinbase and Kalshi?
The Criminal Investigation Bureau sought the restrictions over suspected violations of election-betting laws, citing election integrity and “overseas interference.” Officials have not publicly specified the conduct at issue.
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Have the companies been found guilty of election-betting violations?
No. The reported court action authorized access restrictions. No finding of guilt or charges against either company had been reported at the time of publication.
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When will access be restored?
No restoration date or end date for the restrictions has been reported. The November 28, 2026 election date does not establish when the restrictions will end.
