Nationwide Internet Outage in Iran Raises Concerns as Cryptocurrency Trading Remains Possible

According to Odaily, due to the spread of protests in Iran and the rial exchange rate falling to a historic low, the Iranian government implemented a nationwide internet shutdown today, resulting in approximately 7 million cryptocurrency users being unable to trade.

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

In addition, the decentralized communication service Bitchat, based on Bluetooth mesh networks, has been downloaded more than 1.4 million times since its launch and supports the transfer of transaction data between mobile phones. The Darkwire project, developed by Cyb3r17, uses long-range radio technology to create a mesh network capable of transmitting bitcoin transactions in offline environments. Machankura, developed by South African developer Kgothatso Ngako, allows users to send and receive bitcoin via telecom networks instead of the internet. All of the above offline solutions still require a networked device to upload transactions to the blockchain for confirmation.