Iran nationwide blackout sparks attention as cryptocurrency trading remains possible

Odaily Planet Daily reports that due to the spread of protests within Iran and the Rial exchange rate falling to a historic low, the Iranian government implemented a nationwide internet shutdown today, disrupting transactions for approximately 7 million cryptocurrency users.

TRM Labs data shows that from January to July 2025, the total cryptocurrency liquidity within Iran was about $3.7 billion. In the current offline environment, Hunter Horsley, CEO of Bitwise, suggests using Bitcoin as a store of wealth. Currently feasible offline trading solutions include: Starlink satellite internet, which has been activated domestically and can provide high-speed connectivity; and the Blockstream satellite network, which supports broadcasting Bitcoin data globally.

Additionally, Bitchat, a decentralized communication service based on Bluetooth mesh networks, has been downloaded over 1.4 million times since its release, supporting the transfer of transaction data between phones. The Darkwire project, developed by Cyb3r17, uses long-distance radio technology to create mesh networks capable of transmitting Bitcoin transactions without internet access. South African developer Kgothatso Ngako’s Machankura supports users in sending and receiving Bitcoin via telecommunications networks rather than the internet. The above offline solutions still ultimately require connected devices to upload transactions to the blockchain for confirmation.