Crypto Exchange Restrictions for Iranian Citizens in 2025: What You Need to Know

For Iranian citizens, accessing cryptocurrency exchanges in 2025 isn’t just difficult-it’s tightly controlled. What used to be a workaround for inflation and sanctions has become a high-risk activity under strict government oversight. The rules have changed dramatically since last year, and if you’re trying to trade, hold, or even just use crypto in Iran, you’re now operating inside a system designed to limit, monitor, and tax every move.

Payment Channels Cut Off

In early January 2025, the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) pulled the plug on all rial-based payment gateways for cryptocurrency exchanges. That meant you could no longer deposit or withdraw money using Iranian bank accounts to buy Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Tether. This wasn’t a temporary glitch-it was a full shutdown. The government claimed it was about tax evasion. Reports showed exchanges were handling billions in transactions every year, but operators weren’t paying a single rial in taxes. The message was clear: if you want to trade crypto, you do it on the state’s terms-or not at all.

The Nobitex Hack and the 14-Hour Trading Window

The June 18, 2025 cyberattack on Nobitex, Iran’s biggest crypto exchange, changed everything. Over $90 million vanished in a single breach. It wasn’t just a technical failure-it was a political earthquake. Within days, the CBI imposed new rules: no trading between 8:00 PM and 10:00 AM local time. That left users with only 14 hours a day to buy, sell, or move assets. The official reason? Security. The real reason? Control. Overnight, Iranians went from being able to trade anytime to being forced into a narrow window where the government could monitor activity, track patterns, and shut down suspicious trades before they even happened.

Tether’s Largest Freeze Yet

On July 2, 2025, Tether froze 42 cryptocurrency addresses linked to Iranian users-mostly connected to Nobitex. This wasn’t random. Many of those wallets showed transaction trails to addresses flagged by Israeli intelligence as tied to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The freeze wasn’t just about blocking bad actors-it was about sending a message to the entire Iranian crypto community: if you’re using USDT, you’re under scrutiny. The impact was immediate. Tether’s price on Iranian exchanges spiked to over 12,000 Toman as panic set in. People scrambled to sell, switch to other coins, or find workarounds.

Switching to DAI and Polygon

After the Tether freeze, Iranian users didn’t just give up. They adapted. Crypto influencers, Telegram channels, and even state-backed forums started pushing DAI, a decentralized stablecoin built on the Polygon network. Why? Because DAI doesn’t rely on centralized issuers like Tether. It’s harder to freeze. Polygon’s lower fees and faster transactions made it ideal for Iranians trying to keep their money liquid. Many users began swapping their USDT for DAI through decentralized exchanges like SushiSwap or QuickSwap, bypassing local platforms entirely. This wasn’t just a technical shift-it was a survival tactic.

First Ever Crypto Tax Law

In August 2025, Iran passed the Law on Taxation of Speculation and Profiteering. For the first time, profits from cryptocurrency trading became taxable. The government treated crypto like gold, real estate, or foreign currency speculation. If you made money trading Bitcoin, you now owed taxes. The law didn’t ban crypto-it tried to monetize it. The implementation was phased, giving users time to adjust. But the message was unmistakable: the state now sees crypto as a source of revenue, not just a tool for survival. Many traders started keeping detailed records, not because they wanted to, but because they feared audits.

U.S. Sanctions Target Shadow Banking

September 2025 brought another blow. The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned a $600 million shadow banking network tied to Iran. Among the targets: wallets linked to Arash Estaki Alivand, a known financial facilitator who used crypto to launder oil proceeds. The addresses hit included Ethereum and Tron wallets. This wasn’t just about stopping one person-it was about cutting off entire pathways Iranian users relied on to move money internationally. Suddenly, even using Ethereum for peer-to-peer trades became risky. The sanctions didn’t just target institutions; they made everyday transactions feel dangerous.

What’s Still Legal? What’s Not?

Here’s the confusing part: mining is still legal in Iran. The government even subsidizes electricity for miners because it brings in hard currency. But using crypto for payments? Banned. Buying Bitcoin to protect savings? Technically allowed, but monitored. Selling crypto to buy goods? Risky. The line between legal and illegal is drawn by the Central Bank, and it changes without warning. There are no public guidelines. No official app. No hotline. Just rules enforced through sudden freezes, trading bans, and tax demands.

Why Does This Matter?

Iranians aren’t using crypto for speculation. They’re using it because inflation hit 50% in 2024, and the rial lost half its value in 18 months. Banks won’t let them send money abroad. Credit cards are blocked. Foreign currency is nearly impossible to get. Crypto isn’t a luxury-it’s a lifeline. But now, the government is trying to control that lifeline. It’s not trying to stop crypto entirely. It’s trying to control who uses it, how they use it, and who profits from it. The state still allows mining and may be using crypto itself for international trade. But for regular citizens? Access is shrinking.

What’s Next?

Analysts expect more restrictions in 2026. The Central Bank is already testing blockchain monitoring tools to track wallet behavior. New licensing rules for exchanges are coming, requiring detailed user data and real-time reporting. Some experts believe Iran may eventually launch its own state-backed digital currency, replacing crypto with something it fully controls. For now, users are stuck in a gray zone: crypto still works, but every move carries risk. The most successful traders now use multiple wallets, avoid USDT, stick to Polygon, and trade only during daylight hours. They know the rules aren’t written-they’re whispered.