Can Businesses in Iran Accept Crypto Legally? 2026 Rules, Risks, and Realities

Posted by Victoria McGovern

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14
Jan

Can Businesses in Iran Accept Crypto Legally? 2026 Rules, Risks, and Realities

Can a business in Iran legally accept cryptocurrency? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. It’s more like: yes, but only if you jump through a maze of government-controlled hoops.

It’s Legal - But Heavily Controlled

Iran doesn’t ban cryptocurrency outright. Businesses can accept it - but not the way you’d expect. There’s no direct customer-to-business crypto payment allowed. Instead, every transaction must flow through a government-approved exchange using a special tool called the Foreign Exchange Card (FX Card). This isn’t a debit card you can swipe. It’s a digital ledger tied to your business account, monitored 24/7 by the Central Bank of Iran (CBI).

Here’s how it works: A customer sends Bitcoin or DAI to your business. That crypto doesn’t land in your wallet. It gets instantly converted to Iranian rials through a CBI-licensed exchange like Nobitex or Wallex.ir. The rials hit your bank account. But here’s the catch - the equivalent value in foreign currency (say, $1,000 USD) is now owed to the state. You have one year to return that amount in dollars, euros, or another hard currency. If you don’t? Fines, account freezes, or worse.

The Hidden Costs: Fees, Delays, and Paperwork

Accepting crypto in Iran isn’t free. It’s expensive and slow. Businesses report an extra 1.8% in transaction fees just to use the FX Card system. Processing times jump from seconds to days. One e-commerce owner in Mashhad told a local news outlet it took 11 business days just to get his first crypto payment cleared - and that was after submitting 17 documents.

Those documents include:

Commercial registration certificate
Tax ID number
Energy consumption report (yes, really)
Proof of no prior financial violations
Bank account statements for the past 12 months

The CBI reviews each application. The rejection rate for small businesses? 32%. And even if you get approved, you’re locked into a system that demands monthly reporting using Form CR-2025/07. That’s about 8.3 extra hours of accounting work every month - time most small business owners can’t afford to spend.

They’re Watching Everything

The CBI doesn’t just approve transactions - they see every single one. Since January 2025, all crypto-related business activity flows through a government API that captures 55 data points per transaction: who paid, how much, what currency, when, and even the IP address used. There’s no privacy. No anonymity. The state has full access.

This level of surveillance is why some fintech experts call it a “controlled leak.” The government lets crypto flow to ease pressure on the rial and bypass U.S. sanctions - but only if it can track every dollar. And if you try to hide a transaction? Penalties start at 200% of the transaction value.

There’s a Tax on Your Profits Too

In August 2025, Iran introduced its first formal crypto tax. If your business makes more than 50 million rials (roughly $1,000 USD) in profit from trading or converting crypto, you owe 25%. The rate climbs to 35% if you clear over 500 million rials. This isn’t a suggestion. It’s enforced. The tax authority cross-checks CBI transaction logs with your income filings. Missing a payment? You’re flagged for audit.

And it’s not just about profit. Even if you’re just accepting crypto as payment for goods, the value of that crypto at the time of receipt is treated as income. That means you’re taxed on the rial value - even if the crypto’s price drops the next day.

Warehouse workers surrounded by streaming crypto transaction data under a CBI monitoring screen.

Who’s Actually Doing It?

Despite the headaches, crypto use among Iranian businesses is growing. In 2025, daily business crypto volume hit $22.3 million - up 11.8% from the year before. The leaders? E-commerce, restaurants, and freelance services. Digikala, Iran’s biggest online marketplace, processed $4.2 million in crypto payments in Q1 2025 - all through approved channels.

But it’s not big corporations that are driving this. It’s small businesses. 78% of crypto-accepting businesses in Iran have fewer than 50 employees. Why? Because they’re desperate. The rial keeps losing value. Banks freeze accounts without warning. Foreign suppliers won’t accept rials. Crypto is often the only way to pay for tools, software, or inventory from abroad.

The Big Problem: The One-Year Repayment Rule

The most painful part of the system? The one-year foreign currency repayment. Businesses don’t just get rials - they get a debt. They must return the equivalent value in USD or EUR to the state within 12 months. For a small business making $5,000 a month in crypto payments, that’s $60,000 they need to find - not from sales, but from hard currency.

63% of businesses say they need to take out high-interest loans just to meet this requirement. Rates average 22.4% annually. Some turn to informal markets. Others delay payments. A few get caught. And when they do? Their FX Card gets suspended. Their bank account gets locked. Their business can’t operate.

What About Mining? Can I Mine Crypto Too?

No. Not legally. In December 2024, after power outages hit 17 provinces, the government cracked down hard. Unauthorized mining is now a criminal offense. If you’re running a mining rig at home or in a warehouse without a government license - which are nearly impossible to get - you’ll be fined 200% of your electricity bill and shut down immediately. Even licensed miners must report energy usage to the grid operator daily.

Small business owner on rooftop as a digital CBDC cloud crushes crypto icons, with hidden online networks glowing below.

Advertising Crypto? Don’t Even Think About It

Since February 2025, it’s illegal for any business to advertise that they accept crypto. No signs. No website banners. No social media posts. No “Bitcoin Accepted Here” stickers on your shop window. Violate this rule, and you could face fines or a complete shutdown of your online presence.

So how do customers know? Word of mouth. WhatsApp groups. Reddit threads. The underground network keeps it alive - but it’s risky for both buyer and seller.

What’s Next? The CBDC Is Coming

The government isn’t done. By late 2025, they plan to launch “Rial Currency,” a central bank digital currency (CBDC) that works like digital cash tied to the rial. It’s meant to replace the need for global cryptocurrencies entirely. Once it’s rolled out, businesses will be pushed to use it instead of Bitcoin or DAI.

Analysts predict that by mid-2026, 85% of Iranian business crypto transactions will shift to DAI and other stablecoins on the Polygon network - not because they’re better, but because Tether (USDT) is too risky. After a July 2025 freeze on 42 Iranian-linked addresses worth $12.7 million, businesses learned the hard way: Tether can cut you off anytime.

Is It Worth It?

For big companies with foreign ties and legal teams? Maybe. Digikala can handle the paperwork. For a small shop owner in Tabriz trying to buy replacement parts from Turkey? It’s a gamble.

The system gives you access to hard currency - but at the cost of freedom, speed, and privacy. You’re trading one set of restrictions for another. The government lets you use crypto to survive the sanctions - but only if you let them control every step.

There’s no perfect solution. But for many Iranian businesses, crypto isn’t about innovation. It’s about staying open.

Can I accept Bitcoin directly from customers in Iran?

No. Direct customer-to-business Bitcoin or crypto payments are banned. All crypto must go through a Central Bank of Iran-approved exchange, where it’s converted to rials. The transaction is then tied to a Foreign Exchange Card, which requires you to repay the equivalent value in foreign currency within one year.

Is there a tax on crypto income for businesses in Iran?

Yes. Since August 2025, businesses must pay capital gains tax on crypto profits. The rate is 25% for profits over 50 million rials ($1,000 USD), rising to 35% for profits over 500 million rials. Even if you accept crypto as payment for goods, its rial value at the time of receipt is taxed as income.

What happens if I don’t repay the foreign currency within a year?

Your Foreign Exchange Card will be suspended, your bank account may be frozen, and you’ll face fines equal to 200% of the unpaid amount. Repeated violations can lead to business license revocation. Many small businesses take out high-interest loans (up to 22.4% APR) to meet this requirement.

Can I advertise that my business accepts crypto?

No. Since February 2025, advertising crypto acceptance through any media - websites, social media, signs, or flyers - is illegal. Businesses rely on word-of-mouth or private messaging apps like WhatsApp to inform customers.

Which crypto exchanges are legal in Iran for businesses?

Only exchanges licensed by the Central Bank of Iran are permitted. The main ones are Nobitex (54.2% market share), Wallex.ir (12.7%), Bitpin.ir (10.4%), and Ramzinex.com (6.6%). All transactions must flow through these platforms, which are required to share full transaction data with the CBI.

Is crypto mining legal in Iran?

Only with a government license - and those are nearly impossible to get. Since December 2024, unauthorized mining is banned. If caught, you’ll be fined 200% of your electricity costs and your equipment seized. The government cracked down after nationwide power outages linked to unregulated mining.

Will Iran’s new digital currency replace crypto?

Yes, that’s the goal. The Central Bank is testing “Rial Currency,” a CBDC pegged to the rial, for launch in late 2025. Once rolled out, businesses will be strongly encouraged - and eventually required - to use it instead of Bitcoin or stablecoins. The aim is to eliminate reliance on global cryptocurrencies while keeping control over digital money.

Jan 14, 2026
Victoria McGovern
17 Comments