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BTC $96,420 +2.34% ETH $3,280 +1.82% SOL $185.40 -0.92% BNB $642.50 +0.45% XRP $2.18 +3.12% DOGE $0.082 -1.50% ADA $1.05 +0.80% AVAX $42.10 +1.15%
09/08/2026

Middle East Crypto Activity Triples to $350B Amid Regional Conflict

What happened: Annual blockchain transaction value in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region reached approximately $350 billion by 2025-2026, tripling from $100 billion in 2022, according to t

Middle East Crypto Activity Triples to $350B Amid Regional Conflict

What happened: Annual blockchain transaction value in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region reached approximately $350 billion by 2025-2026, tripling from $100 billion in 2022, according to the Bitcoin Policy Institute. The report attributes this growth to increased demand for digital assets as a hedge during the 2025 Israel-Iran conflict, with Saudi Arabia and Qatar seeing 154% and 120% year-over-year growth, respectively. Turkey alone received $200 billion in annual crypto volume.

Why it matters: The surge reverses earlier assumptions that regional conflict drives capital outflows rather than crypto adoption. Instead, both institutional and retail flows have accelerated, with regulated Gulf hubs coexisting alongside sanctioned states using crypto for wealth preservation. This shift may reshape global crypto liquidity and regulatory priorities.

Source: Decrypt