IC15 Crypto Index: Price, Coins and How It Works (2026)
What is IC15, the "Sensex of crypto"? How India's first crypto index picks its 15 coins, why it is in points not rupees, and whether you can invest in it.
If you follow crypto in India you have probably seen the IC15 index quoted next to the Sensex and Nifty on business channels. It is often called the "Sensex of crypto", and many people search for the "IC15 price in INR" expecting to buy it like a coin. This guide explains what IC15 is, how it chooses its 15 coins, what its number actually means, and how an Indian investor can get similar exposure.
Key takeaways
- IC15 is an index that tracks 15 large, liquid cryptocurrencies. It was launched in January 2022 by CryptoWire, a Mumbai-based unit of TickerPlant.
- Its value is in index points, not rupees. It started at 10,000 points on its base date of 1 April 2018.
- Coins are weighted by market cap, with a cap so no smaller coin dominates. Stablecoins are excluded.
- You cannot buy IC15 directly: it is a benchmark, and no fund or ETF tracks it today.
What is the IC15 index?
An index is a single number that sums up how a group of assets is moving. The Sensex does this for 30 large Indian companies; IC15 does it for 15 large cryptocurrencies traded on major global exchanges. When the IC15 rises 3% in a day, the biggest coins as a group have risen about 3%, weighted by their size.
IC15 is run by an Index Governance Committee of domain experts, academics and industry practitioners, who review the rules and the list of coins. Having a rule-based index matters because crypto has thousands of coins and very uneven liquidity. A clear benchmark lets investors, analysts and fund managers compare their own results with "the market".
Is there an IC15 price in INR?
Not in the way a coin has a price. IC15 is measured in points. It was set at 10,000 points on the base date of 1 April 2018, and its level today shows how much the basket has grown or shrunk since then. If the index reads 30,000, the basket is worth three times what it was on the base date. It does not mean one unit costs ₹30,000, because there is no unit to buy.
The live level is published by the index provider. If you want the live rupee prices of the large coins that make up most of the index, here they are:
| # | Name | Price | Price (INR) | 24h % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
BTC BitcoinBTC
|
$82,995.27 | ₹7,965,886 | 2.04% | |
| 2 |
ETH EthereumETH
|
$2,665.72 | ₹255,856 | 0.96% | |
| 4 |
BNB BNBBNB
|
$759.74 | ₹72,920 | 2.42% | |
| 5 |
XRP XRPXRP
|
$1.49 | ₹143.01 | 2.19% | |
| 7 |
SOL SolanaSOL
|
$118.36 | ₹11,360 | 2.94% | |
| 12 |
DOG DogecoinDOGE
|
$0.0923 | ₹8.86 | 4.90% | |
| 17 |
ADA CardanoADA
|
$0.2428 | ₹23.30 | 4.63% |
These are the kind of large coins that usually qualify; the actual list changes at each review, so check the provider's page for the current constituents. For every coin, see crypto prices in India.
How IC15 picks its 15 coins
To be eligible, a cryptocurrency must pass three tests during the review period:
- Size: rank in the top 50 by circulating market cap.
- Liquidity: be among the 100 most traded cryptocurrencies by value.
- Consistency: have traded on at least 90% of days in the review period.
Stablecoins such as USDT and USDC are excluded, because their price is pinned to the dollar and would only dilute the index. From the coins that pass, the 15 that best meet the rules make the cut. The list is reviewed every quarter, around the 15th of March, June, September and December, so coins that shrink or lose liquidity can drop out. Terra, for example, was removed after its collapse in 2022.
How the weights work
IC15 is market-cap weighted: a coin's influence on the index is in proportion to its total value. Because Bitcoin and Ethereum are far larger than any other coin, they dominate. At launch they made up about 77% of the index together. A cap stops any single smaller coin from taking too big a share after a sudden rally.
A simple example shows what this means. Suppose Bitcoin is 60% of the index and a small coin is 2%. If Bitcoin rises 5% and everything else is flat, the index rises about 3%. If the small coin doubles and everything else is flat, the index rises only about 2%. In other words, IC15 mostly tells you what Bitcoin and Ethereum are doing, with the rest of the large-cap market as a smaller influence. To understand market cap itself, read what market cap means in crypto.
IC15 compared with the Sensex
| Feature | IC15 | Sensex |
|---|---|---|
| What it tracks | 15 large cryptocurrencies | 30 large Indian companies |
| Weighting | Market cap, with a cap | Free-float market cap |
| Trading hours | Every hour, every day | Weekday market hours |
| Review | Quarterly | Twice a year |
| Can you buy a fund on it? | No | Yes, index funds and ETFs |
| Typical daily moves | Often 1% to 5% | Usually under 1% |
Can you invest in IC15?
No. There is no IC15 fund, ETF or token in India, and exchanges do not list it for trading. It is a benchmark only. If you see an app or social media account offering to "buy IC15" or an "IC15 coin", treat it as a warning sign and check the platform against our list of FIU-registered exchanges.
If you like the idea of owning the whole large-cap market rather than guessing one coin, you have two practical options:
- Build your own basket. Buy Bitcoin and Ethereum as the core, with smaller amounts of a few other large coins, on a registered Indian exchange. Most investors who try to copy an index simply hold mostly BTC and ETH, which is what IC15 is anyway.
- Use a ready-made basket. Some Indian apps offer coin baskets that you can buy in one go. These follow the app's own rules, not IC15, so read how they are built and what they charge.
Buying a little every month smooths out the big swings; see how to start a crypto SIP and dollar cost averaging.
How to use IC15 as an investor
- As a benchmark: if your portfolio fell 40% while IC15 fell 20%, your coin choices hurt you. Most people who trade small coins end up behind the index.
- As a mood gauge: a steady rise in IC15 with rising volume usually signals a broad bull market; see bull vs bear markets. Our Fear and Greed index gives a second view.
- As a reminder of concentration: since Bitcoin and Ethereum drive the index, a "diversified" crypto portfolio is still heavily tied to them.
Tax on index-style crypto investing
Whether you buy one coin or fifteen, Indian rules are the same: 30% tax plus cess on every profitable sale, no set-off of losses between coins, and 1% TDS on transfers above the yearly threshold. Rebalancing a home-made basket often means selling some coins at a gain, which is taxed. Estimate it with the crypto tax calculator and read crypto tax in India explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is IC15 in crypto?
IC15 is India's first crypto index. It tracks 15 large, liquid cryptocurrencies weighted by market cap and is maintained by CryptoWire, a unit of TickerPlant.
What is the IC15 price today?
IC15 has a level in points, not a price in rupees. It began at 10,000 points on 1 April 2018. Check the index provider's website for the live level.
Can I buy IC15 on an Indian exchange?
No. IC15 is a benchmark only, and no fund, ETF or token tracks it. Be wary of anyone selling an "IC15 coin".
How often does IC15 change its coins?
Every quarter, with reviews in March, June, September and December. Coins that fall out of the top ranks or lose liquidity are replaced.
This article is AI-assisted, educational and general in nature. It is not financial advice and never a guarantee of profit. Every trade is at your own risk on your own exchange. See our risk disclosure and editorial policy.
