Iranians Turn to Cryptocurrency as Rial Collapses

With the rial in freefall and gold coin prices at historic highs, Iranian households increasingly turn to cryptocurrency as a store of value. VPN usage spikes as citizens access foreign exchanges despite government restrictions. Tether (USDT) and Bitcoin trading volumes on Iranian-accessible platforms reach record levels. Analysts note the trend mirrors behavior during the 2018 currency crisis but at far greater scale, reflecting deeper loss of confidence in the domestic financial system.