Iran Considers Bitcoin Fees for Oil Ships

Iran may start charging oil tankers a fee in Bitcoin to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is very important because it carries about one‑fifth of the world’s crude oil. The country wants to keep control over this narrow channel and use it as leverage in its dealings with other nations. Instead of the usual currencies, Tehran could ask ships to pay in cryptocurrency. The idea is that Bitcoin can hide transactions from international monitoring systems, making it harder for sanctions to block the money.A spokesman for Iran’s oil export group said that once a ship receives an email, it would have only a few seconds to pay with Bitcoin. This speed would help avoid the vessel’s crew from being caught or having their money seized by foreign authorities. If this plan is put into practice, it would be a new step for Iran. Previously the government said it only wanted Chinese yuan as payment. The move shows how digital money is being used in global trade to bypass old financial rules. It also highlights the tension between governments and technology that can slip through their control.