- Iran’s crypto ecosystem reached $7.78B in 2025 as inflation and rial collapse accelerated adoption.
- Bitcoin activity spikes during protests, conflicts, and cyberattacks, acting as an economic stress signal.
- IRGC-linked wallets now account for roughly half of Iran’s crypto flows, exceeding $3B in 2025.
Iran’s growing crypto activity is not about chasing the next rally. It is about survival. In 2025, Iran’s cryptocurrency ecosystem reached an estimated $7.78 billion, growing faster for most of the year than it did in 2024. At the center of this shift is Bitcoin, which is increasingly being used as a financial lifeline rather than a speculative asset.
A Currency Collapse That Left Few Options
Iran’s economic pressure has been building for years. Since 2018, the Iranian rial has lost nearly 90% of its value, while annual inflation has repeatedly landed in the 40–50% range. Food, housing, and imported goods have become steadily more expensive, while wages lag far behind.
For many households, saving in rial no longer makes sense. The question has shifted from “How do I grow my money?” to “How do I stop it from shrinking?” Bitcoin has stepped into that gap as a store of value outside a rapidly failing currency system.
When Politics Shake, Bitcoin Activity Spikes
On-chain data shows that crypto activity in Iran rises sharply during moments of political and military stress. Major surges followed the January 2024 Kerman bombings, the October 2024 Iran–Israel missile escalation, and the 12-day conflict in June 2025, which also involved cyberattacks on banks, crypto platforms, and state media.
Each crisis produced the same response: more crypto transactions, faster fund movements, and higher demand for digital assets. Bitcoin has effectively become a real-time stress indicator for Iran’s economy.
Related: Will Bitcoin Make a New All-Time High Soon? Here’s What Users Think
The IRGC’s Expanding Grip on Crypto
While citizens turn to crypto for protection, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been using it at an industrial scale. By Q4 2025, IRGC-linked wallets accounted for around 50% of Iran’s total crypto activity.
Source: Chainalysis
Funds received by these addresses grew from over $2 billion in 2024 to more than $3 billion in 2025. Analysts caution that these figures are likely understated, as they only reflect known, sanctioned wallets and exclude hidden shell entities and foreign facilitators used for sanctions evasion and cross-border transfers.
Protests Trigger a Rush to Self-Custody
The contrast becomes clearer during protests. Comparing the period before unrest (Nov 1–Dec 27, 2025) with the protest and internet blackout window (Dec 28, 2025–Jan 8, 2026), data shows a sharp rise in Bitcoin withdrawals from Iranian exchanges.
Source: Chainalysis
More users moved funds into personal wallets, choosing self-custody over platforms that could be restricted or monitored. This behavior points to a flight to safety, driven by fear of bank disruptions, capital controls, and further currency losses.
Why Bitcoin, Not Just Any Crypto?
The analysis said that Bitcoin stands out for three reasons. Self-custody allows users to control funds without banks. Censorship resistance lets transactions continue despite shutdowns. Portability makes it useful during displacement or sudden capital movement.
Similar Bitcoin withdrawal surges have appeared in other conflict and crisis zones, showing a broader global pattern.
Related: Stocks Slide, Bitcoin Jumps as Peter Schiff Calls Crypto Rally a “Sucker’s Bet”
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Source: https://coinedition.com/7-8-billion-and-growing-what-irans-crypto-data-reveals-about-crisis/