- Iran halts unauthorized crypto mining, impacting electricity and crypto markets.
- State utility Tavanir leads enforcement on illegal operations.
- Market sees Bitcoin hashrate drop and liquidity shifts in Iran.
Iran’s government has shut down over 100 illegal cryptocurrency farms across the country, as part of a broader crackdown led by Akbar Hasan Beklou in July-August 2025.
This action highlights Iran’s struggle to balance crypto’s role in economic development with energy stability, prompting notable impacts on Bitcoin’s hashrate and local trading volumes.
Iran has shut down over 100 illegal crypto farms. This move is part of a larger nationwide effort to curtail unauthorized mining activities exploiting subsidized electricity. The crackdown is driven by the need to stabilize the country’s energy grid.
The Tehran Province Electricity Distribution Company, under the leadership of Akbar Hasan Beklou, leads this initiative. Key players include Tavanir, which has confiscated over 1,400 mining machines, and state policymakers looking to mitigate energy strain.
Akbar Hasan Beklou stated, “Iran has quietly become the world’s fourth-largest crypto mining hub, driven largely by its extremely low electricity costs. These subsidies have turned the country into what he called a ‘haven for illegal miners,’ who exploit cheap power and hide their activity behind industrial fronts.”
The immediate effects on Bitcoin mining are significant, with a global hashrate decline of 2–3% noted. Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges saw a 15–20% drop in trading volume, reflecting reduced activity due to these closures.
The political and economic implications are notable, as Iran seeks balance between utilizing cryptocurrency for economic purposes and maintaining energy stability. This highlights the ongoing tension amid US sanctions and internal policy constraints.
The enforcement is funded through existing energy budgets, utilizing citizen reward programs for reporting illegal facilities. Historical trends of crackdowns since 2021 show Iran’s consistent efforts in regulating the mining sector to manage power consumption effectively.
Experts anticipate further developments in Iran’s regulatory landscape, possibly affecting global mining dynamics. The strategic crackdown could shift the focus of miners towards more private, decentralized networks, such as Monero, to evade detection.
