Iran Mandates Bitcoin Payments for Oil Tankers Transiting the Strait of Hormuz
The Iranian government has formally codified a toll system requiring shipping companies to pay $1 per barrel in Bitcoin to traverse the Strait of Hormuz during the current ceasefire. This marks the first time a sovereign state has mandated cryptocurrency for access to a global shipping lane. Vessels linked to the United States or Israel remain barred from transit. The White House has denounced the toll as a violation of the ceasefire agreement.