Middle East Crypto Activity Triples to $350 Billion Amid Ongoing Conflict, Report Finds

In brief

• Annual MENA blockchain transactions reached an estimated $350 billion by 2025–2026, up from about $100 billion in 2022.
• The institute says the Iran conflict pushed a growing share of regional capital into digital assets.
• Investors shifted toward Bitcoin after an initial sell-off, while Gulf crypto firms continued operating during the fighting.

The Iran conflict is pushing a growing share of regional capital into digital assets as investors seek to preserve wealth and move money during disruption, according to the Bitcoin Policy Institute.

In a report published Friday, the group estimates that annual blockchain transaction value across the Middle East and North Africa reached $350 billion by 2025–2026, more than triple the approximately $100 billion recorded in 2022.

Regional conflicts tend to accelerate capital outflows,” researchers for the institute wrote. “The Iran conflict displayed a different dynamic: instead of exiting the region, a growing share of capital shifted into digital assets, underscoring the increasing role of cryptocurrencies—and Bitcoin in particular—as a hedge against economic and geopolitical uncertainty.”

While the institute attributes the broader growth to economic pressures and government efforts to develop crypto markets, it argues that the fighting has increased demand for financial alternatives and demonstrates the benefits of markets that remain open during disruption.