In April 2026, following a two-week ceasefire, US President Donald Trump suggested a potential joint venture with Iran to charge tolls for ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. According to reports, Iran will require these tolls to be paid in Bitcoin. This development, described by Trump as “a beautiful thing,” represents a significant policy shift and introduces a major test case for cryptocurrency use in a sovereign-controlled international trade route.
US President Donald Trump stated the U.S. and Iran may launch a joint venture to charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz. The announcement followed a reported two-week ceasefire reached between the two nations.
Trump told ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl the partnership was a way to make more money and secure the strait. “We’re thinking of doing it as a joint venture. It’s a way of securing it — also securing it from lots of other people,” the President said.
According to sources, Iran will now require ships passing through the strait to pay their tolls in Bitcoin. It remains unclear if the U.S. will also accept cryptocurrency for its share of the proposed venture.
Approving a toll would mark a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward Iran and regional maritime security. The ceasefire itself is limited in both scope and duration.
Any breakdown in negotiations could halt transit or alter the payment framework. For now, the use of bitcoin introduces a significant test case for cryptocurrency in sovereign trade routes.
