The Iran conflict drove a growing portion of regional capital into digital assets as investors sought to protect their wealth and move funds during disruptions, according to the Bitcoin Policy Institute. Blockchain transactions in the Middle East and North Africa reached approximately $350 billion annually by 2025-2026, compared to roughly $100 billion in 2022. After an initial selloff, investors pivoted toward Bitcoin, pushing its share of the crypto market to a one-month high of 64.8%. Chainalysis tracked roughly $10.3 million leaving Iranian crypto exchanges between late February and early March following U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on their facilities. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are developing regulatory frameworks to attract crypto firms and institutional investors.
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