Iran’s Defense Export Center has begun offering foreign buyers cryptocurrency as payment for arms contracts, the Financial Times reports.
The proposal envisages settlements in digital assets, barter trade, or Iranian rials. Iranian exporters report active ties with 35 client countries. The list of weapons includes ballistic missiles, launch vehicles, drones, warships, air defense systems, vehicles, explosives, and ammunition.
In fact, this is the first public case of a state offering strategic weapons for cryptocurrency.
Western sanctions limit Iran’s access to dollar-denominated communications channels. Cryptocurrencies offer the possibility of settlements, including without bank intervention. Furthermore, such contracts can be concluded despite sanctions.
Thus, as new restrictions are introduced, barter and cryptocurrencies are moving from being used as reserve instruments to becoming mainstream options.
In Iran itself, cryptocurrency is widely used—approximately five million residents trade digital assets. In 2025, the incoming volume of cryptocurrency transactions grew by approximately 11,8% year-on-year.
Local exchanges are operating normally even after a major hacker attack on a leading platform, which resulted in losses equivalent to $80-90 million.