Iran Uses Cryptocurrency to Purchase Cutting-Edge Weapons
Iran accepts cryptocurrency as payment for advanced weapons
Iran’s official defense export agency has begun offering foreign governments the option to pay for advanced weapons systems using cryptocurrency, according to the Financial Times.
The Ministry of Defence Export Center, known as Mindex, presents itself as the export arm of Iran’s defense ministry and advertises a wide catalog of military products on its website. The listings span more than 3,000 items across categories including rockets and missiles, aviation systems, marine platforms, and radar and optical equipment.
In its published payment terms, Mindex says contracts can be settled using “digital currencies”, as well as local currencies in the buyer’s country, barter arrangements, Iranian rials, and more traditional bank transfers. The website indicates prospective customers could purchase weapons such as missiles, tanks, and drones using crypto among the available settlement options.
The Financial Times described the offer as one of the first known cases of a nation-state publicly indicating a willingness to accept cryptocurrency as payment for weapons exports.
The development comes as heavily sanctioned states look for ways to conduct cross-border trade outside the traditional banking system. Iran faces longstanding restrictions that can limit access to global payment rails, and the addition of cryptocurrency alongside barter and local-currency options underscores an effort to broaden settlement methods for international deals.
- What happened: Iran’s defense export agency published payment terms that include “digital currencies” for military contracts.
- What’s for sale: Products advertised include ballistic missiles, drones, warships and other military systems, according to the Financial Times.
- Why it matters: It highlights how digital assets can be used as an alternative settlement tool in state-level trade under sanctions pressure.
