Iran Eases Currency Controls, Allows Exporters to Use Crypto for Cross-Border Payments

The Iranian government has relaxed its currency controls to allow exporters to use part of their foreign revenues directly for imports, and to utilize Bitcoin (BTC) or USDT for certain cross-border settlements.

This move comes after nearly $9.9 billion in crypto activity was attributed to Iran in 2025, with four sanctioned exchanges accounting for 78% of the total volume.

The Iranian Central Bank has not publicly commented on these new rules, which do not represent a full legalization of all crypto flows but rather an effort to make it easier to recover revenues generated abroad while access to international banks remains restricted.