Iran Demands Oil Tankers Pay Transit Fees in BTC

On the geopolitical front, Iran has dropped a "financial nuclear bomb." According to the Financial Times, during the two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, Iran will require oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz to pay tolls in cryptocurrency. The fee is set at $1 per barrel of crude oil; empty ships can pass free of charge. After the ship operators receive an email from Iran, they will have "a few seconds" to make the payment in Bitcoin, ensuring the fee cannot be tracked or seized due to sanctions.

Within minutes of the news breaking, major cryptocurrencies surged: Bitcoin briefly rose to more than $72,700, then fell back to above $71,700, with a daily gain of about 5%; Ethereum and Solana jumped 8% and 7%, respectively. Industry analysts say that if this measure is rolled out and sustained, it will significantly strengthen Bitcoin’s geopolitical narrative—that is, Bitcoin as a "borderless, censorship-resistant" value-transfer tool has irreplaceable strategic value in a sanctions environment.#Gate广场四月发帖挑战