Iran Demands Cryptocurrency Tolls for Strait of Hormuz Access to Evade Blockade
In a bid to bypass the U.S. naval blockade and international sanctions, the Iranian government has mandated that all commercial vessels pay transit tolls in cryptocurrency for access to the Strait of Hormuz. The policy, reported on April 18, 2026, utilizes digital asset 'mixers' to obfuscate the origin of funds. The U.S. Treasury Department responded by issuing new sanctions against individuals and companies linked to the Iranian crypto-smuggling network, further escalating the financial dimension of the conflict.