To buy Bitcoin on Unocoin you do four things. Create a free account with your +91 mobile number. Complete KYC with your PAN and Aadhaar inside the Unocoin app or website. Add rupees by IMPS or NEFT. Then either buy instantly, or set up a Systematic Buying Plan (SBP) that buys a fixed rupee amount daily, weekly or monthly, starting from ₹10.
There is no minimum balance to open the account. SBP trades carry a 0% fee, and instant buys carry 0.5% plus 18% GST on that fee. That is the whole process. The rest of this post is the detail I would want someone to walk me through the first time, including the one rule that matters more than any button: nobody from Unocoin will ever ask you for your OTP or password.
Before you start: what you need
I co-founded Unocoin in Bangalore in December 2013. Back then, the question at every Bitcoin meetup was simply, can I buy some Bitcoin? The honest answer was, not easily. Today the list of what you need is short:
- A mobile number starting with +91 that you control.
- Your PAN card.
- Your Aadhaar.
- An Indian bank account that can send IMPS or NEFT.
- Ten quiet minutes, so you read each screen instead of tapping through it.
You also need to be an adult. Accounts are for people who can complete KYC in their own name.
Sign up with your mobile number
Start at the Unocoin registration page or the Unocoin app from your phone's official app store. Search carefully. Fake apps that copy exchange logos exist across the industry, so check the developer name and the reviews before you install anything.
Enter your +91 mobile number and verify it with the OTP that arrives by SMS. That OTP is for you to type into the app, on your own phone, in that moment. It is never something you read out to another person. If anyone calls or messages asking for it, the call is not from support.
Set a strong password you do not use anywhere else, and turn on two-factor authentication as soon as the option appears. Both take a minute and save you from the most common account takeovers.
Complete KYC inside the app
Unocoin is registered with FIU-IND as a reporting entity under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. In practice, that means every account goes through KYC and AML checks, with PAN verification and Aadhaar authentication. You cannot buy Bitcoin anonymously on Unocoin, and you should be wary of anyone who offers you a way to skip that step anywhere.
Do the KYC only inside the official app or website. Never send photos of your PAN or Aadhaar to someone on WhatsApp, Telegram or email who says they will speed it up. That is a common way documents get stolen and misused.
The name on your PAN, Aadhaar and bank account should match. Small mismatches, like a missing middle name, are one of the reasons verification can take longer. If you get stuck, contact support through the channels listed at the end of this post.
Add rupees by IMPS or NEFT
Once KYC is approved, you add funds from your bank account by IMPS or NEFT. Unocoin's fee schedule lists INR deposits as free.
Two things to get right here. First, send from a bank account in your own name, the one linked to your verified profile. Second, use the deposit details the app shows you at the time, and copy them from the app itself rather than from a screenshot someone forwarded. Payment details shared by strangers are not Unocoin's.
Buy instantly or set up an SBP
You now have two ways to buy.
Instant buy
Instant buy is the simplest. You enter a rupee amount and confirm. The fee is 0.5% plus 18% GST on the fee. Unocoin's own fee page gives a worked example: on a ₹10,000 purchase, the 0.5% fee is ₹50, IGST at 18% on that is ₹9, and the total is ₹10,059. Read the final rupee figure on the confirmation screen before you tap, every time.
Systematic Buying Plan (SBP)
The SBP is what I point most first-time buyers to. You pick an amount, from ₹10, and a frequency: daily, weekly or monthly. The plan buys that rupee amount each time, so you get more Bitcoin when the price is lower and less when it is higher. That is rupee-cost averaging. It does not remove risk and it does not promise any result. What it does remove is the pressure of trying to pick the perfect day.
SBP trades on Unocoin carry a 0% fee. You can change or pause a plan anytime from your account. If you want to see how a plan would have looked against real past prices, the SBP Time Machine replays it. It is a look backward, not a forecast. The full explainer is on our Bitcoin SIP page.
If you use the order book
Unocoin also has spot trading with maker and taker fees of 0.2% and 0.3%. You do not need it to start. Most first-time buyers never touch it.
Move Bitcoin to your own wallet (optional)
You do not have to move anything. But you should know you can. Unocoin's Asset Controls let you move assets to your own wallet anytime, and the site describes these as zero-fee transfers. The network fee for a send to a Bitcoin address is set by congestion on the Bitcoin network and is shown before you confirm, so read that screen.
If you do move Bitcoin, send a small test amount first, check the first and last characters of the address after pasting, and write your wallet's recovery phrase on paper, offline. Never type that phrase into a website or message. Whether a transfer to your own wallet has tax consequences is not specifically ruled on; the common view is that it is not a sale. Check with your CA. More on that in self-custody and tax.
Tax, before you forget about it
Bitcoin is a virtual digital asset under Indian tax law. Under the Finance Act 2022, profits are taxed at a flat 30% plus 4% cess, 1% TDS applies on sales, losses cannot be set off against other income, and every sale goes into Schedule VDA when you file. I would rather you read this now than in July. Our India crypto tax guide explains it in plain words. It is general information, not tax advice; check with a CA.
Getting help without sharing your OTP
Unocoin support is reachable at support@unocoin.com, +91 7788978910, and toll-free on 1800-103-2646, Monday to Saturday, 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM IST.
The one thing to hold onto: no genuine support team will ever ask for your OTP, your password, or a recovery phrase. Treat a few other requests as red flags too, from anyone claiming to help: installing a screen-sharing app, or sending money to a personal account to fix a problem. If that happens, stop, hang up, and contact support yourself using the numbers above.
I have spent thirteen years watching people get into Bitcoin in India. The ones who do well are rarely the ones who move fastest. They read every screen, start small, and keep their codes to themselves.
If you have read this far and still want to go ahead, you know the steps. Before you do, take a minute with our Is Unocoin safe? page so you know what you can check for yourself, and see the full fee table.
Common questions
How long does Unocoin KYC take?
It depends on how cleanly your PAN, Aadhaar and bank details match. Do it inside the official app or site only, and if it stalls, contact support@unocoin.com or the toll-free number rather than anyone offering to speed it up.
What is the minimum deposit on Unocoin?
There is no minimum balance to open an account, and an SBP can start from ₹10. INR deposits by IMPS or NEFT are listed as free.
How do I start an SBP on Unocoin?
After KYC and a deposit, choose a rupee amount from ₹10 and a frequency (daily, weekly or monthly). SBP trades carry a 0% fee, and you can change or pause the plan anytime.
How do I contact Unocoin support?
Email support@unocoin.com, call +91 7788978910, or the toll-free 1800-103-2646, Monday to Saturday, 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM IST. Support never asks for your OTP, password or recovery phrase.