Iran allow tankers make Hormuz transit fees payment wit Bitcoin amid sanctions

Iran don introduce payment route wey dey evade sanctions for ships wey dey pass Strait of Hormuz. One official from Iranian Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union tok say Iran don dey accept Bitcoin for Hormuz transit fees, instead of earlier reports wey say only USD-linked stablecoins dey used. Dem dey charge fees per barrel, and the biggest tankers fit carry up to 2 million barrels at once. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis link Iran growing crypto wallet use to IRGC-related commercial trade networks, saying crypto fit more practical pass normal banking because settlement fit happen straight between wallets. The report still point to related enforcement cases: IRGC-linked financing reportedly support Iran oil sales to Yemen in December 2024 (~$178m), and for April 2025, US sanctions reportedly expand to crypto addresses tied to Houthi purchases of weapons and goods from Russia, with estimates near $1bn wey move over 12 months. For crypto traders, main signal na incremental Bitcoin adoption for sanction-hit maritime corridors. At the same time, regulatory scrutiny on stablecoins remain risk factor for the wider ecosystem.