Taiwan blocks Kalshi and Coinbase over suspected election betting, with local votes set for November 28, 2026

Taiwan’s communications regulator has restricted access to Kalshi and Coinbase after a New Taipei court order tied to concerns over election betting. For high-risk payment and crypto operators, the useful part is not the politics; it is the mechanism: a criminal investigation, a court order, and a platform-level access block.

1. According to Bloomberg on October 15, Taiwan’s communications regulator blocked access to the two platforms after a New Taipei court authorized the move. Taipei Times, citing Bloomberg, said the island’s internet registry was also authorized to block access from Taiwan, and some Coinbase users in the country reported they could not access the site from October 14.
2. The action followed a request from Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau. Bloomberg said the agency suspects both platforms violate the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, which bans organizing profit-making bets on election or recall outcomes. The bureau said it sought the restrictions to protect electoral integrity and prevent “foreign interference,” but gave no further detail.
3. According to Taipei Times, authorities have not alleged that Coinbase or Kalshi handled funds from China. That matters because the stated theory here is not a standard AML freeze story; it is a platform-access restriction tied to election-law enforcement.
4. The law was tightened by a 2023 amendment. Under that framework, a person betting on an election outcome can face up to six months in prison, while those offering the bet can face up to five years.
5. Taiwan’s local elections are scheduled for November 28, 2026, covering local government officials including city mayors, county magistrates, and local councilors. Taipei Times said the vote will test support for President William Lai’s government, while SiGMA said the result could be an indicator ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Cryptometer added that earlier investigations had already identified crypto-based betting linked to these local elections.

Kalshi denied that it allows trading in Taiwan, and Bitcoin.com News said its member agreement lists Taiwan among the “restricted jurisdictions” whose residents cannot use the platform. That same outlet said Kalshi offers a market on the Taipei mayoralty with about 198,000 contracts, though that figure was not included in Bloomberg’s original report. Coinbase confirmed that some users in Taiwan had access problems and said it is investigating the matter.