Cashaa, a blockchain-based fintech, has joined hands with United Multistate Cooperative Society, a credit cooperative society, to launch crypto bank joint venture UNICAS that allows users to transact in cryptocurrency and fiat from one account.

While the online services of UNICAS has already gone live, as many as 14 physical branches will be rolled out by January 2021 across the NCR, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

UNICAS plans to rapidly expand to 100 branches by the end of 2022. “This will allow us to build, scale and offer customised financial and crypto products for the Indian market,” said Dinesh Kukreja, CEO of UNICAS, in a statement.

The JV will enable Cashaa to access United’s regulatory licences, its physical branches and overall banking infrastructure. United Multistate Cooperative is registered in Delhi under the Multi-state Cooperative Society Act 2002 and is serving in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi with a network of 43 branches.

Being a multi-State credit cooperative society working under Registrar of Societies and providing services only to members, United Multistate Cooperative Society does not need the RBI permission, Kukreja said.

Users will be able to deposit and withdraw through a savings account, the way they operate with traditional banks in India. This is the first time in the world a financial institution has enabled cryptocurrency trade through physical branches.

“If we are planning to move ahead with the aim of digital India, then we cannot hesitate in adopting new technologies and finding innovative ways to bring it to Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities in India. In addition to banking, UNICASwill also provide information and guidance on the level of convenience and security that blockchain technology offers.” said Kumar Gaurav, CEO and Founder of Cashaa.

In India, currently cryptocurrency is not regulated. It may be recalled that in March this year, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court revoked a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ruling that banned any entity from dealing in or getting involved with cryptocurrency transactions.

UNICAS will be providing banking services for both fiat and crypto assets. Services include savings accounts, crypto exchange, crypto loan and debit cards to spend crypto. Users may receive an instant loan digitally by depositing crypto assets in the UNICAS wallet and requesting the equivalent value of rupee on their card or bank account.

The joint venture is merging United’s decade of experience in Indian traditional finance with Cashaa’s international banking and cryptocurrency experience to transform both the Indian fintech space and the crypto industry.

With the rollout of the initial 14 branches, UNICAS aims to onboard 25,000 customers within the first quarter of 2021. Cashaa, launched in October 2018, has already been providing its services to more than 200 crypto exchanges, wallets and start-ups dealing in crypto.

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