PocketBits
PocketBits is an Indian cryptocurrency exchange serving approximately 200,000 retail users with 130+ trading pairs at zero fees. Founded in 2017, it won a landmark Supreme Court case against the RBI banking ban and was acquired by Ad Astra Labs in May 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMumbai, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What PocketBits does
PocketBits was an Indian cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2017 (firmographics list 2016) and operated from Mumbai for approximately nine years with a zero trading fee model and roughly 200,000 users across 130+ trading pairs. The platform is notable for winning the Supreme Court case against the RBI banking ban, establishing legal precedent that protects the right of Indian citizens to trade crypto. The company is led by founder and CEO Sohail Merchant, with a lean team of 11–50 employees that includes a Chief Business Officer (Andrew Canday), a Director of Blockchain R&D (Sagar Moharil), and a Director of Business Development (Kenil Jain).
In May 2026, PocketBits was acquired — along with Zelta and Blockend — by Ad Astra Labs through a strategic stock swap merger. Ad Astra Labs took on full responsibility for all assets, liabilities, user data, and balances, preserving every rupee, token, and holding from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot. All three platforms are now unified under a single decentralized banking infrastructure, with PocketBits operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
The current operating model is phased: Phase 1 (migration and integration) is complete, Phase 2 (read-only login access) launched in June 2026, and Phase 3 (INR and crypto withdrawals) remains pending regulatory and legal milestones. The revenue model is not disclosed; PocketBits historically generated no trading fees by design choice, and the Ad Astra Labs monetization mechanics have not been publicly detailed. Customer acquisition is self-serve via the web platform, and current customer communication runs through the official updates page and email-based support with one-click sign-in.
PocketBits firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PocketBits
- Legal name
- PocketBits
- Website
- https://pocketbits.in
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PocketBits is an Indian cryptocurrency exchange serving approximately 200,000 retail users with 130+ trading pairs at zero fees. Founded in 2017, it won a landmark Supreme Court case against the RBI banking ban and was acquired by Ad Astra Labs in May 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PocketBits industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cryptocurrency Exchange
- NAICS
- Securities and Commodity Exchanges (52321), Securities and Commodity Exchanges (5232)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Enterprise Payments & Tokenized Money (stablecoins, tokenized deposits, CBDC rails) (FSAPAIAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Smart Contract & Token Operations Infrastructure (Lifecycle, Corporate Actions) (FSAGAMAH)
Keywords
Where PocketBits is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mumbai
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Markets served
PocketBits business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | — | Zero trading fees platform |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
PocketBits product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PocketBits operates a web-based cryptocurrency exchange platform in India offering access to 130+ trading pairs with zero trading fees by company choice. Following the May 2026 acquisition by Ad Astra Labs, the platform, along with Zelta and Blockend, is being unified into a single decentralized banking infrastructure, with user accounts and balances preserved from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot. Currently in Phase 2 (read-only login), the platform is preparing for Phase 3 (INR and crypto withdrawals) pending regulatory approvals.
Product overview
PocketBits operated as a cryptocurrency trading platform for nine years with approximately 200,000 users and zero trading fees, winning the Supreme Court case against the RBI banking ban that protected Indian crypto trading rights. The company, along with Zelta and Blockend platforms, was acquired by Ad Astra Labs through a strategic stock swap merger. All three platforms are now unified under a single decentralized banking infrastructure called Ad Astra Labs, with user accounts and balances preserved from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot. Phase 2 (read-only login access) is currently live, while Phase 3 (INR and crypto withdrawals) awaits regulatory and legal milestones.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PocketBits Cryptocurrency exchange platform that operated for nine years with approximately 200,000 users and zero trading fees, offering access to 130+ trading pairs. Now integrated into the Ad Astra Labs unified decentralized banking platform following the May 2026 acquisition.
- Zelta Cryptocurrency platform acquired by Ad Astra Labs as part of the unified decentralized banking merger, with user accounts and balances preserved from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot.
- Blockend Cryptocurrency platform acquired by Ad Astra Labs as part of the unified decentralized banking merger, with user accounts and balances preserved from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot.
- Ad Astra Labs Unified Decentralized Bank Unified decentralized banking platform built by combining the assets, users, and infrastructure of PocketBits, Zelta, and Blockend. Currently in migration phases with read-only access available (Phase 2); full trading, deposits, and INR/crypto withdrawals (Phase 3) to follow after regulatory approvals.
Quantifiable outcome
- All user accounts, balances, tokens, and holdings preserved from May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot
Companies that use PocketBits
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
PocketBits technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PocketBits partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ad Astra LabscoreAd Astra Labs acquired PocketBits, Zelta, and Blockend through a strategic stock swap — a full merger including all assets, liabilities, user data, and balances. Ad Astra Labs took on full responsibility for all assets and balances, preserving every rupee, token, and holding from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot. All three platforms are now unified under a single infrastructure.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
PocketBits competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BitBNS: India-domiciled crypto exchange offering INR-crypto spot trading and staking products. Comparable to PocketBits in serving Indian retail traders with INR rails, regulatory exposure, and exchange-style product offering.
- Unocoin: Indian cryptocurrency exchange targeting retail traders with INR deposit and trading. Comparable to PocketBits in Indian-only focus, INR settlement model, and the same regulatory environment.
- WazirX: One of India's largest cryptocurrency exchanges offering INR-crypto trading across hundreds of pairs. Directly comparable to PocketBits in geography, customer base (Indian retail traders), product (spot trading with INR rails), and regulatory exposure.
- ZebPay: Long-standing Indian cryptocurrency exchange offering INR trading pairs and mobile-first trading. Comparable to PocketBits in Indian market focus, INR rails, and multi-year operating history navigating Indian crypto regulation.
- CoinDCX: Indian cryptocurrency exchange with INR deposits/withdrawals, spot and derivatives trading, and a large Indian retail user base. Closely comparable to PocketBits in target market, INR settlement, and regulatory positioning, though at significantly larger scale.
Broad incumbents
- Binance: Global cryptocurrency exchange with the largest trading volume worldwide and INR on-ramps in India. Comparable to PocketBits in core product (spot trading) and Indian user demand, though operating at vastly greater scale and as a broad incumbent rather than India-specialist.
- KuCoin: Global crypto exchange offering wide spot and derivatives trading, accessible to Indian users via P2P. Comparable to PocketBits in trading product and Indian retail user demand, though at global scale rather than India-focused.
- CoinSwitch: Major Indian crypto aggregator/exchange with large retail user base and INR rails. Comparable as a broader Indian crypto incumbent serving the same retail-investor segment as PocketBits.
Emerging players
- Giottus: Indian crypto exchange offering INR-crypto trading to retail users. Comparable as an emerging Indian exchange in the same regulatory and customer segment as PocketBits, though at smaller scale.
- Mudrex: Indian crypto investment platform offering automated trading strategies and INR-crypto buying. Comparable to PocketBits in Indian market, INR rails, and retail crypto-investor customer, with overlap in trading/investing use cases.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PocketBits social profiles
Digital presencePocketBits financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PocketBits leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
PocketBits funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PocketBits M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PocketBits
What does PocketBits do?
PocketBits operates a web-based cryptocurrency exchange platform in India offering access to 130+ trading pairs with zero trading fees by company choice. Following the May 2026 acquisition by Ad Astra Labs, the platform, along with Zelta and Blockend, is being unified into a single decentralized banking infrastructure, with user accounts and balances preserved from the May 20, 2026 cutover snapshot. Currently in Phase 2 (read-only login), the platform is preparing for Phase 3 (INR and crypto withdrawals) pending regulatory approvals.
Is PocketBits a public or private company?
PocketBits is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was PocketBits founded?
PocketBits was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PocketBits based?
PocketBits is headquartered in Mumbai, India, in the Asia region.
Who are PocketBits's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BitBNS, Unocoin, WazirX, ZebPay and CoinDCX. Broad incumbents are Binance, KuCoin and CoinSwitch. Emerging players are Giottus and Mudrex.
Does PocketBits have an API?
No public API is recorded for PocketBits.
What industry is PocketBits in?
PocketBits's product category is Cryptocurrency Exchange. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAPAIAJ, Enterprise Payments & Tokenized Money (stablecoins, tokenized deposits, CBDC rails), with a secondary code of FSAGAMAH, Smart Contract & Token Operations Infrastructure (Lifecycle, Corporate Actions). Its NAICS code is 52321 and its SIC code is 6199.