Rumors of $300 billion for Iran: why Bitcoin ended up at the center of the scandal
Rumors that Washington is ready to allocate $300 billion to Tehran as a "recovery fund" have stirred up the crypto community. However, President Donald Trump has called this information an "absolute fake." Nevertheless, the discussion itself has sparked heated debates among investors trying to assess how a potential U.S.-Iran deal could impact the digital asset market.
What lies behind the $300 billion figure?
The catalyst for the discussions was a preliminary memorandum of understanding that the parties plan to sign on June 19. Vice President JD Vance quickly moved to reassure the public, stating that Tehran would only receive this money after fulfilling all its obligations. Moreover, according to him, American taxpayers will not spend a single cent—the funding for the fund will be covered by the Gulf monarchies.
Trump himself spoke even more harshly on his social media platform Truth Social, completely denying the rumors about budget injections. He emphasized that Iran has firmly promised to dismantle its nuclear program. The published draft agreement indeed contains no mention of direct payments from the U.S. Any investments from Gulf countries will be strictly tied to Iran's behavior: limiting nuclear development, allowing international inspectors, and opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Why are cryptocurrencies at the center of the discussion?
Although the published materials make no direct mention of digital assets, Iran's history with cryptocurrencies has given speculators a reason for debate. Authorities in Tehran have been using cryptocurrencies to bypass sanctions for years. On June 2, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on four Iranian platforms, including Nobitex, the country's largest exchange. The department stated that in 2025 alone, more than half of all Iranian crypto transactions passed through Nobitex, most of which are linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Against this backdrop, Bitcoin hit two-week highs, liquidating about $246 million in short positions. The signing on June 19 is expected to clarify the actual terms of the agreement. Until that happens, contradictions between Trump's statements and Tehran's position are likely to fuel interest in cryptocurrencies.
Expert opinion: The market is clearly overestimating the likelihood of a direct link between the deal and cryptocurrencies. However, the very fact that rumors of geopolitical détente trigger such a response in Bitcoin confirms that digital assets are becoming increasingly integrated into the global financial system. In the short term, the main driver will remain the uncertainty surrounding the deal's terms, rather than the payments themselves.