Iran is quietly easing foreign-exchange controls so businesses can settle cross-border trade in Bitcoin, USDT, and other digital assets through domestic crypto exchanges, according to Financial Times reporting cited on secondary coverage under U.S. sanctions pressure.
What the ease allows
The Central Bank of Iran has eased FX controls so exporters can bring overseas earnings home through domestic crypto exchanges. Businesses can also use export earnings directly to pay for imported raw materials and goods instead of first converting through the government-controlled foreign-exchange system.
The Iranian rial has fallen to more than 2 million per U.S. dollar in the open market.
Scale stamps on the page
Roughly $10 billion worth of cryptocurrency moved through Iran in 2025, according to on-chain data cited on that page. Iran accounts for around 4.5% of global Bitcoin mining activity, according to Elliptic.
Bessent / Nobitex backdrop
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has warned that digital assets could become another target under the administration’s broader “Operation Economic Outcast.” In June, the Treasury sanctioned Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, accusing it of helping with sanctions evasion.
For the earlier Bessent Outcast framing on this desk, see Bessent: EU joins Operation Economic Outcast against Iran.
Informational only. Not trading advice, signals, or a guarantee of any market outcome.
Written and fact-checked with AI assistance, reviewed by a human editor before publication.
