Iran accepts cryptocurrency as payment for advanced weapons

Policy Share Share this article Copy link X icon X (Twitter) LinkedIn Facebook Email Iran accepts cryptocurrency as payment for advanced weapons Prospective customers could purchase weapons such as missiles, tanks and drones using crypto, according to a government website. By Jamie Crawley | Edited by Sheldon Reback Jan 2, 2026, 12:09 p.m. The export center of Iran's Ministry of Defense is accepting cryptocurrency as a payment method for advanced weapons systems. (Akbar Nemati/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk) What to know : Iran's Ministry of Defence Export Center is accepting cryptocurrency payments method for advanced weapons systems as a means of bypassing international sanctions that the country faces. The offer is among the first known instances of a country accepting cryptocurrency as a means of payment for military equipment, according to the Financial Times. The facility for using cryptocurrency to pay for transactions involving sanctioned countries is already well established. Mindex, the export center of Iran's Ministry of Defense, is accepting cryptocurrency payments method for advanced weapons systems as a means of bypassing international sanctions that the country faces. Prospective customers can buy weapons such as missiles, tanks and drones using crypto, amongst other accepted payment methods including Iranian rials or bartering, according to the center's website. STORY CONTINUES BELOW Don't miss another story. Subscribe to the State of Crypto Newsletter today . See all newsletters Sign me up By signing up, you will receive emails about CoinDesk products and you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . Mindex is responsible for Iran's overseas defense sales and claims to have clients in 35 countries. No prices are displayed for the available items. The offer is among the first known instances of a country accepting cryptocurrency as a means of payment for military equipment, according to the Financial Times , which the news earlier. The facility for using cryptocurrency as a means of payment in transaction involving sanctioned countries, however, is already well established. In early 2025, blockchain analytics provider Chainalysis reported that U.S.-sanctioned countries had received nearly $16 billion in digital assets the year before. United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iran saw a re-escalation in 2025 , with the reimposition of those that had been lifted in 2015 related to the country's nuclear program. Iran Sanctions cryptocurrency payments More For You KuCoin Hits Record Market Share as 2025 Volumes Outpace Crypto Market By CoinDesk Research Dec 22, 2025 Commissioned by KuCoin KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market. What to know : KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025 , equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month , marking its strongest year on record. This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume , as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes , which slowed during periods of lower market volatility. Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split , each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line. Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity , reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover. Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity , indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes. View Full Report More For You Turkmenistan legalizes crypto mining and exchanges to boost the economy By Olivier Acuna | Edited by Sheldon Reback 12 minutes ago The legislation aims to boost economic development and foreign investment while treating virtual assets strictly as property. What to know : Turkmenistan legalized cryptocurrency mining and exchanges to boost economic development and attract foreign investment. The law, signed by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, provides a legal framework for virtual assets, categorizing them as property. Cryptocurrency mining and exchanges must register with the central bank and stick to anti money-laundering rules. 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