Iranians grab their bitcoin as protests rage and rial tanks

MEVictim · 2026-01-16T07:25:15+00:00

Iranians are increasingly withdrawing Bitcoin from exchanges amid protests and economic turmoil, demonstrating the cryptocurrency's appeal as a safeguard against government control and inflation.

MEVictim

2026-01-16 07:25:15

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Source: CryptoNewsNet Original Title: Iranians grab their bitcoin as protests rage and rial tanks Original Link: As Iran’s government clamped down on recent street protests, locals took direct custody of their bitcoin, highlighting the cryptocurrency’s decentralized, censorship-resistant appeal.

Beginning on Dec. 28, street demonstrations rocked across multiple cities in Iran against the Islamic Republic government and a deepening economic crisis, marked by rampant inflation and currency collapse.

From the start of the protests to Jan. 8, when Iran imposed an internet blackout, blockchain intelligence observations noted a notable increase in blockchain transactions withdrawing BTC from Iranian exchanges to unknown personal wallets.

Most telling is the surge in withdrawals from Iranian exchanges to unattributed personal Bitcoin wallets. This surge suggests Iranians are taking possession of Bitcoin at a markedly higher rate during protests than they were beforehand, reflecting the cryptocurrency’s utility as a hedge against government control and economic instability.

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