Iran Turns to Cryptocurrencies as Sanctions Bypass Solution

Iran has relaxed its currency controls and is increasingly using cryptocurrencies to facilitate trade, bypassing Western sanctions. The Central Bank of Iran has allowed a wider range of ways for traders to repatriate funds, including using cryptocurrencies like Tether (USDT) and Bitcoin. According to experts, $10 billion in cryptocurrency flowed through Iran in 2025.

The easing of currency controls is happening alongside Washington's intensifying sanctions pressure. Local companies are now using cryptocurrencies to sustain foreign trade and access imports, trying to bypass the official exchange rate, which often favors the state platform. One businessman close to the regime noted that using cryptocurrencies to receive payment for exports 'has now become fully established.'

Experts say this is a response to the structural realities of geopolitics, where Iran has been excluded by global payments systems for quite some time. The country also has a domestic source of crypto assets thanks to Bitcoin mining, which allows it to bypass trade embargoes and obtain crypto assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Economist Saeed Laylaz believes that further tightening of sanctions will only increase the role of cryptocurrencies in Iran's economy: 'The more the economy goes underground, the more there is a need to use cryptocurrencies.'