Iran internet blackout: how crypto can still work offline
Iran imposed nationwide internet restrictions on Thursday as demonstrations intensified over deteriorating economic conditions and a record-low Iranian rial against the U.S. dollar, prompting questions about whether residents can still access and transact with cryptocurrencies.
Statista estimates around seven million crypto users in Iran out of a total population of approximately 92 million. TRM Labs recorded about $3.7 billion in cumulative cryptocurrency flows within the country between January and July 2025.
Some external commentators, including Bitwise CEO Hunter Horsley, have proposed Bitcoin (BTC) as a potential store-of-value alternative amid currency volatility.
Source: Cloudflare Radar
Ways to use crypto without internet access
With the internet restricted, conducting cryptocurrency transactions becomes significantly more challenging. Several technologies, however, may help maintain limited connectivity or enable the transfer of transaction data.
Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, can deliver high-speed connectivity to regions lacking traditional service. Calls have been made for Starlink to assist in restoring access in Iran, similar to a prior deployment during a nationwide blackout in June 2025. Unverified reports suggest a request has been approved.
Blockstream’s satellite network offers another avenue by broadcasting Bitcoin network data globally without relying on terrestrial internet. Unlike Starlink’s two-way, high-speed connectivity—where user terminals link to satellites that route data via laser links and ground stations—Blockstream’s service focuses on downlinking blockchain data.
Some users have also turned to Bitchat, a decentralized peer-to-peer messaging application associated with Jack Dorsey, which leverages a Bluetooth mesh network to relay messages. Through this method, Bitcoin transaction data can be passed between phones; however, a device with internet access is ultimately required to finalize and confirm the transaction on-chain.
According to Chromestats, Bitchat has accumulated more than 1.4 million downloads since launch, including over 19,828 in the last 24 hours and more than 460,724 in the past week.
Additional offline-oriented tools in development
Darkwire, introduced in May 2025 by its pseudonymous developer Cyb3r17, uses long-range radio to form a decentralized mesh network capable of transmitting data, including Bitcoin transactions, without internet access. As with Blockstream’s satellites and Bluetooth-based relays, a connection to the internet is still necessary at some point to verify and include transactions on the blockchain. The project’s GitHub page indicates it is undergoing a substantial rewrite.
In 2022, South African software developer Kgothatso Ngako reportedly launched Machankura, a service that allows users to send and receive Bitcoin using mobile phones without internet by leveraging telecom networks. The approach was detailed in a March 2023 Forbes report and on the project’s website.
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