Bitcoin Mining in Iran: Risks, Rules, and Real-World Reality
When you hear Bitcoin mining in Iran, the practice of using electricity-intensive hardware to validate Bitcoin transactions and earn new coins. Also known as crypto mining in Iran, it's not just a technical process—it’s a survival tactic for millions caught between inflation, sanctions, and a failing currency. In 2023, Iran became the third-largest Bitcoin miner on Earth, thanks to cheap state-subsidized electricity and a population desperate for alternatives to the rial. But by 2025, the game changed.
Iran’s government didn’t ban mining—they tried to control it. They forced miners to register, handed out licenses, and demanded a cut of the hash rate. Some miners complied. Others went underground. The result? A fragmented, risky, and unpredictable industry. The Iran cryptocurrency regulations, a set of state-enforced rules that dictate who can mine, how much power they can use, and what hardware is allowed. You can’t just plug in a rig anymore. You need paperwork, a government-approved power contract, and a willingness to risk fines or jail if you slip up. Even then, blackouts hit hard. In 2024, Tehran cut power to entire districts for weeks because of energy shortages—and miners lost millions in hash rate overnight.
Then there’s the hardware. Bitcoin hash rate, the total computational power used to secure the Bitcoin network. Iran’s miners used to dominate with cheap ASICs from China, but U.S. sanctions made importing new machines nearly impossible. Many are stuck running outdated S9s and T9s—machines that eat power and barely earn anything anymore. Some miners switched to Ethereum Classic or Monero, but even those markets are shrinking. The real winners? The middlemen who sell used rigs on Telegram or smuggle parts across borders.
And don’t forget the human cost. Families are selling their cars and homes to buy miners. Teens are running 24/7 farms in garages. When the lights go out, so does their income. The government calls it "economic resilience." Most miners call it a gamble with no safety net.
What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t theory. It’s real stories, real risks, and real data from people who’ve been through it. You’ll see how Iran’s mining scene compares to Nigeria’s P2P boom, how it’s shaped by the same crypto scams that trick users elsewhere, and why even the most desperate miners can’t escape the truth: if you’re mining in Iran, you’re not just chasing Bitcoin—you’re chasing stability in a country that’s falling apart. And that’s not a strategy. It’s a last resort.
