Iran weighs Bitcoin tolls for Hormuz oil route

Iran is reportedly considering charging ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz a tariff paid in Bitcoin following a proposed two-week ceasefire with the United States.

Under the reported plan, empty oil tankers would pass freely, while other vessels transporting oil could face a fee of $1 per barrel payable in Bitcoin.

“Once the email arrives and Iran completes its assessment, vessels are given a few seconds to pay in Bitcoin, ensuring they can’t be traced or confiscated due to sanctions,”

Said Iran’s Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Products Exporters’ Union spokesperson Hamid Hosseini.

The proposal comes after US President Donald Trump said a ceasefire agreement would reopen the critical shipping route, though Iran has tied access to conditions including continued control of the strait and sanctions relief.

The Strait of Hormuz is a key global oil chokepoint, and disruptions earlier in the year pushed crude prices above $100 per barrel while driving volatility in Bitcoin, which traded between $65,000 and $75,000.

Iran has increasingly turned to digital assets to bypass sanctions, with reports showing significant crypto flows and stablecoin usage amid pressure on its national currency.

Blockchain data firms previously estimated billions of dollars in crypto transactions linked to Iran, underscoring how digital assets are becoming embedded in geopolitical and trade strategies.

At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $70,893.91.