Iran Integrates Bitcoin into Oil Payments, Stablecoins Dominate Fragile BTC Market

Iran has formally integrated Bitcoin into oil-related payments to evade sanctions and assert financial sovereignty, yet stablecoins like USDT and USDC dominate transactions with no on-chain BTC oil payments detected. On April 18, Iran listed BTC alongside yuan and USDT for Strait of Hormuz tolls, following $3 billion in crypto flows since 2022—$600 million frozen by U.S. authorities, $2.4 billion evaded. By April 19, prediction markets peg BTC stability at 99.9% odds, but thin liquidity ($105,585 USDC traded in 24 hours, $800 orders swinging prices 5%) signals high volatility risk amid rising oil tensions.