IRGC Mining: What It Is, Why It Matters, and What You Need to Know

When people talk about IRGC mining, cryptocurrency mining operations tied to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Also known as state-sponsored crypto mining, it represents a unique intersection of geopolitics, energy policy, and digital currency. Unlike home miners or corporate data centers, IRGC mining isn't about personal profit—it's about bypassing sanctions, generating hard currency, and funding military programs under the radar.

Iran has one of the largest crypto mining footprints in the world, thanks to cheap electricity and lax enforcement. But here’s the catch: a big chunk of that mining power is controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful Iranian military and political organization designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. and others. The IRGC uses mining to turn government-subsidized power into Bitcoin and other coins, then sells them overseas to fund weapons, cyber operations, and proxy groups. The U.S. Treasury and OFAC have repeatedly targeted these operations, freezing wallets and sanctioning exchanges that handle IRGC-linked funds.

This isn’t just a tech issue—it’s a national security one. When Iran mines crypto, it’s not just creating digital assets; it’s building a parallel financial system outside the global banking network. That’s why countries like the U.S. and EU紧盯 (are watching closely) mining activity in Iran. Even if you’re not in Iran, IRGC mining affects you: it distorts global hash rates, drives up electricity demand in energy-poor regions, and fuels instability through illicit finance.

Related to this are Iran crypto regulations, the complex legal framework that allows state-approved mining while banning private crypto use for payments. In 2025, Iran officially permits mining under license—but only if the coins are sold to state-run exchanges. Private individuals can’t trade crypto freely, but the IRGC runs massive farms with thousands of machines, often hidden in military bases or remote industrial zones. These aren’t hobbyists—they’re part of a state-backed economic strategy.

And it’s working. Reports estimate Iran accounts for up to 7% of global Bitcoin mining, making it one of the top five producers. That’s more than Canada, France, or the UK. But because of sanctions, these coins rarely enter mainstream exchanges. Instead, they flow through peer-to-peer networks, unregulated platforms, and intermediaries in Turkey, Russia, and the UAE. The result? A shadow crypto economy that operates outside the rules everyone else follows.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t a list of mining rigs or hash rates. It’s a collection of real stories and investigations into how state actors use crypto to evade control. You’ll see how Iran’s rules differ from Nigeria’s, how OFAC tracks these operations, and why exchanges like Hopex and Forteswap vanished overnight after being linked to sanctioned entities. These aren’t abstract theories—they’re documented cases of crypto being weaponized by governments.