2026-01-04 22:20:46

Currency devaluation in Iran is no longer just a concept in economics textbooks; it is a daily reality faced by every household. By 2025, the exchange rate of the Rial to the US dollar has fallen to 1,400,000:1, a number that looks a bit hopeless—40 years ago, it was 70:1. In other words, the purchasing power of ordinary people has evaporated by 95% over forty years.

Going to the vegetable market, you will see the same scene unfold: housewives lining up to buy tomatoes and potatoes, as if competing for some scarce commodity. At the same time, young people are also "rushing" on their phones—only they are competing for Bitcoin. These two behaviors seem different but are fundamentally the same: a struggle for survival resources.

**Inflation Devours Everything**

Iran’s inflation rate has been above 30% for years, approaching 40% in 2023. People's savings are shrinking; a computer now bears five or six price tags, and the shelves of imported goods are long empty. The collapse of state-owned commercial bank Bank Melli has instantly put the assets of tens of millions of depositors in jeopardy, and eight other banks are also teetering.

What’s even more heartbreaking is the huge gap between the official and black market exchange rates—officially, 1 USD equals 42,000 Rials, but on the black market, it’s 146,000. Under this sense of powerlessness, ordinary people are forced to take risks by turning to the black market to exchange for USD or cryptocurrencies.

**Bitcoin Has Become a Necessity of Life**

Iranians’ demand for Bitcoin is not because they want to get rich, but out of instinct to survive. Data shows that 25% of Iranians already hold cryptocurrencies, and 32.2% express interest. The key is that Bitcoin has long surpassed the realm of an investment tool there:

People use it to buy software, purchase VPN services (to bypass censorship), and renew various international subscriptions. Some even pay for dental expenses and apartment rent with Bitcoin. Salary payments and cross-border transfers—things that normally require banks—are now directly on the blockchain.

When fiat currency confidence completely collapses, Bitcoin has become one of the few ways for ordinary people to protect their wealth.

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HashRateHermit

· 01-06 03:10

This is the reality. Fiat currency is dead, Bitcoin is alive. Iranians have long understood this. Wait, 95% purchasing power evaporated? That’s so despairing... Wow, compared to this, moms are fighting over vegetables while young people are fighting over coins. Essentially the same thing. Bank Melli collapsed, causing tens of millions of depositors to suffer huge losses. Just thinking about this happening to oneself is terrifying. Official price is 42,000, black market is 146,000. That price difference... No wonder people have to turn to Bitcoin. It’s really not about getting rich, just about surviving. 25% of Iranians have already HODL-ed crypto. That number is shocking. People are directly paying rent and dental bills with Bitcoin; traditional banks are completely useless now. Fiat currency’s collapse has instead empowered blockchain. Irony, isn’t it?

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GasGoblin

· 01-04 22:37

This is the real adoption scenario, not just retail investors dreaming of getting rich from trading coins. --- 95% of purchasing power evaporated. This number makes my scalp tingle. No wonder everyone is rushing to buy Bitcoin. --- The black market exchange rate is more than three times the official rate. This制度设计得真绝了 --- Housewives抢西红柿, young people抢btc, essentially all about saving lives. --- So once fiat currency loses信用, on-chain assets really become a刚需. Before, nobody believed it. --- 140万比1... I can't imagine this inflation. Just living is a gamble. --- Bank failures, deposits gone. No wonder everyone in Iran has a wallet.

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ETH_Maxi_Taxi

· 01-04 22:35

1.4 million to 1, that number almost takes my breath away... real living people, not just data points on a chart. Web3 is not just about trading cryptocurrencies; sometimes it's truly the last straw for those still alive. In Iran's situation, we need to reflect on what true financial freedom really means.

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MetaverseVagabond

· 01-04 22:25

This is the real adoption scenario, not those dream stories about the crypto circle. --- Fiat currency is dead, Bitcoin is alive. I didn't expect such a stark contrast. --- 40 years of 95% loss of purchasing power... This number is crazy. No wonder people are forced to go all in on crypto. --- 抢菜在菜市场和年轻人抢币，其实都是逃离贬值的本能。 --- At the moment Bank Melli collapsed, many people should have started awakening. --- Officially 42,000, black market 146,000. The level of trust has probably already been broken. --- Paying dental bills with Bitcoin, Iran has already become a testing ground for on-chain economy. --- 25% of Iranians hold crypto assets. This penetration rate is truly outrageous, far higher than most developed countries. --- When the banking system is completely rotten, blockchain becomes a lifeline—ironic but true. --- Exchange rate 1,400,000:1... Seeing this number makes me feel cold every time.

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FUD_Whisperer

· 01-04 22:20

This is the real adoption, not just some gray-scale fund buying, but the RMB really can't go on anymore. --- Damn, 1,400,000:1... The money my grandfather's generation saved probably can't even buy a scallion now. --- Black market 146,000 vs. official 42,000, this price difference is enough to make people take risks, no wonder everyone is on-chain. --- 25% of Iranians hold cryptocurrencies, this number is higher than I expected, it seems they're not just some radical crypto dreamers. --- Housewives抢菜, young people抢币, politely called hedging, harshly speaking, it's collective despair. --- Bank Melli has collapsed, millions of depositors are directly gg, do you still believe in CeFi... --- Paying rent and dentist bills with Bitcoin, this isn't speculation, it's survival, totally two different things. --- The official maintains the exchange rate lie seriously, the common people have long since collectively moved to the black market, who can trust this system.

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