I just noticed an interesting development about how Iran is changing the payment system in the Strait of Hormuz. This is not only a political issue—it’s the use of digital money being integrated into the financial infrastructure at a truly strategic level.

According to information that has been released, around March, Iran openly announced that oil tankers passing through the strait must pay transit fees to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and most importantly, they cut off dollar-based payment channels and replaced them with Chinese yuan or digital money linked to the dollar—such as USDT. Bloomberg cited information that this system was technically installed as early as late March.

What’s meaningful is that Iran has built a dedicated digital currency exchange window on Kish Island to quickly convert funds into real money. This allows them to bypass the SWIFT system and intermediary banks, which often face sanctions from the U.S. Treasury Department. Reports say that at least two oil tankers paid in yuan and successfully passed through the strait in late March.

But the most meaningful part is the tiered, “stair-step” fee structure—starting from $0.5 per barrel—where the tiers are set according to geopolitical relationships. Iran’s partners such as China and Russia receive special rates of $0.5–$0.7 per barrel, with dedicated channels and free passage. Neutral countries such as India and Pakistan pay more—over $0.8–$0.9 per barrel. Countries with ties to the U.S., such as Japan and South Korea, must pay $1.2–$1.5. And the U.S. and Israel are completely barred from access.

After the transit fee is paid, IRGC issues a license code and route instructions. The ships must display the flag of the country that has made the agreement. And when nearing the strait, they must announce a VHF radio password. Then, patrol vessels come to escort them through. All of this makes it look like a formal, highly efficient system.

In fact, this is not like El Salvador’s move to make Bitcoin legal tender—mostly symbolic. Iran’s choice is commercially practical. The Strait of Hormuz handles as much as 21% of global crude oil shipments, with dozens of ships passing through every day. If this system keeps operating continuously, it’s expected that more than $20 billion in digital money will flow through digital wallets controlled by Iran, creating a protected gray liquidity pool backed by sovereignty.

What follows are risks for liability insurance companies and shipowners. If paying expenses to IRGC is viewed as a violation of sanctions, insurance policies could expire, and shipowners would have to choose between sailing around the Cape of Hope, which takes 15 days and uses expensive fuel, or paying the transit fee in digital money—risking account suspension.

There is information that some traders have started experimenting with new routes through Pakistan, which recently authorized 20 international oil tankers to sail under the Pakistani flag, creating an offshore employment channel for Iran’s system.

Iran is not the only country doing this. Russia has also announced similar fee policies for northern routes and is considering accepting digital money payments. The logic of using digital money is changing how geopolitical centers function as payment nodes.

Most importantly, when commercial ships dock and pay USDT via the blockchain, this is not just paying a toll—it’s a systematic removal of the remaining infrastructure from the Bretton Woods era. Even though USDT is still pegged to the dollar and monitored by OFAC, as long as Iran controls the Strait’s geographic monopoly, the financial warfare carried out with digital money as the intermediary will continue to rewrite the rules of global trade.