Iranian Crypto Mining Compliance Calculator
About This Tool
This calculator helps licensed Iranian crypto miners determine the required percentage of newly minted coins they must sell to the state based on the Central Bank's 2025 regulations.
Enter your daily hash rate and select the current quarterly mandate to calculate your required sales amount.
Calculation Results
Based on your inputs:
- Daily Coins Mined:
- Required Sales Percentage: %
- Amount to Sell Daily: coins
- Amount to Sell Quarterly: coins
Iran’s crypto landscape has taken a sharp turn. Earlier this year the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) issued a directive that effectively forces every licensed miner to sell a portion of their newly‑minted coins to the state. The move is part of a broader push to tighten data control, capture revenue, and curb electricity abuse. Below you’ll find a plain‑English breakdown of what the rule actually says, how miners can stay compliant, and what the ripple effects could be for Iran’s economy and the global mining ecosystem.
Why the Central Bank decided to step in
Since 2019 the Iranian government has relied on crypto mining as a way to offset U.S. sanctions. The industry, backed heavily by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), now accounts for roughly 4.5% of global hash‑rate. That power comes at a cost: illegal mining has repeatedly overloaded the national grid, prompting blackouts and public outrage.
In January2025 President MasoudPezeshkian signed a decree formally assigning the CBI exclusive authority over all crypto‑related activities. The decree bundles three core objectives:
- Secure state revenue by channeling a share of mined coins directly to the treasury.
- Enforce ultra‑transparent data collection to satisfy AML/CTF obligations.
- Restrict domestic use of digital assets while still allowing export‑oriented mining.
These goals explain why the bank moved from a blanket ban on crypto‑fiat conversions (December2024) to a licensing regime that now includes mandatory sales.
What the "mandatory crypto sales" rule actually says
Effective 18February2025 all entities holding a mining licence must:
- Report daily hash‑rate output to the CBI’s API.
- Allocate 10-15% of the net‑new coins (the exact slice is set by quarterly CBI notices) to a state‑controlled wallet.
- Submit proof of transfer within 48hours of block validation.
- Provide detailed electricity consumption logs for the reporting period.
The rule applies to Bitcoin, Ethereum, and any of the 12 approved crypto‑assets listed in the 2024 Policy Framework. Non‑compliant miners face licence revocation, hefty fines (up to 2% of annual revenue), and potential criminal charges under Iran’s Anti‑Money‑Laundering law.
Key entities in the new ecosystem
Below are the eight entities that shape the regulatory environment. The first mention of each includes Iranian Central Bank - the sovereign authority that now controls licensing, data collection, and the mandatory sales channel for crypto miners.
- Cryptocurrency mining - the process of validating blockchain transactions and earning new digital coins as reward.
- Digital rial - Iran’s state‑backed stablecoin pilot, intended to replace dollars for domestic transactions.
- Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) - the military‑economic body that has built large‑scale mining farms in partnership with Chinese investors.
- International sanctions - U.S. and EU restrictions that limit Iran’s access to the global financial system.
- Licensing regime - the CBI‑issued permission required for any mining operation to run legally.
- Electricity grid - Iran’s national power network, under strain from high‑energy mining rigs.
- KYC/AML compliance - Know‑Your‑Customer and Anti‑Money‑Laundering checks that mining firms must embed in their reporting software.
How miners can meet the sales requirement
Compliance is a mix of technology, paperwork, and operational tweaks. Here’s a practical checklist:
- Integrate the CBI API. Most local mining farms use a lightweight Python wrapper that pushes hash‑rate, power‑usage, and coin‑minting data every 24hours.
- Calculate the mandatory share. The quarterly notice defines a percentage based on market volatility. A simple spreadsheet formula-NewCoins×Mandate%-gives the exact amount to transfer.
- Open a state‑approved wallet. The CBI provides a designated address for each licence. Funds sent to that address are automatically logged in the central ledger.
- Document electricity usage. Install smart meters on each rig line. Export CSV files and attach them to the API payload.
- Submit the compliance report. Within 48hours of the transfer, upload the PDF proof of transaction and the meter log to the CBI portal.
Skipping any step triggers an automatic audit flag, which can lead to temporary suspension while the bank verifies the data.
Impact on Iran’s mining sector
The mandatory‑sale rule does three things simultaneously:
- Revenue boost. Early estimates suggest the state could capture $150‑$200million per quarter from forced sales, helping to fund the digital rial pilot.
- Energy curtailment. By tying sales to electricity logs, the CBI can throttle high‑consumption farms during peak grid stress, reducing blackout risk.
- Market distortion. Private miners may see profit margins shrink, prompting a shift toward out‑of‑country hosting or covert operations-a risk the IRGC‑linked farms aim to mitigate by staying in special economic zones.
In practice, the rule has already led to a 12% drop in hash‑rate from unlicensed operations, according to a December2024 Ministry of Energy report.
Comparison: Pre‑2025 vs Post‑2025 Landscape
| Aspect | Before 2025 | After 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing | Optional for large farms; many operated informally. | Mandatory for any hash‑rate above 10TH/s; strict renewal process. |
| Data reporting | Periodic static reports, limited to volume statistics. | Real‑time API feed of hash‑rate, power usage, and coin output. |
| State revenue | Indirect via electricity subsidies. | Direct via forced 10‑15% coin sales to state wallet. |
| Electricity control | Ad‑hoc curfews during grid emergencies. | Automated throttling based on reported consumption. |
| Domestic crypto use | Prohibited but loosely enforced. | Still prohibited; KYC/AML checks enforce cross‑border flow. |
What the rule means for investors and observers
If you are watching Iran’s mining output for market signals, keep an eye on two metrics:
- State‑captured coin volume. The CBI publishes quarterly totals of forced sales. Sudden spikes often precede policy tweaks or new sanctions‑evasion strategies.
- Hash‑rate volatility. A dip may indicate increased underground activity, which in turn raises the risk of sudden shutdowns.
For foreign investors eyeing the digital rial pilot, the mandatory‑sale rule offers a predictable supply of BTC/ETH that the central bank can “tokenize” into a stable‑coin backing. That could improve confidence in the upcoming Kish Island pilot, though legal uncertainties around cross‑border use remain.
Future outlook: Will the rule stay or evolve?
Analysts expect three possible trajectories:
- Gradual easing. If the energy crisis eases, the CBI may lower the mandatory percentage to 5% to keep private miners incentivized.
- Broader asset coverage. The February2025 notice covered 12 coins; a 2026 amendment could add emerging tokens, giving the state a larger revenue base.
- Full digital rial transition. Once the stablecoin gains traction, the central bank could replace forced crypto sales with a direct fiat‑to‑digital‑rial exchange, effectively ending the mining‑sale requirement.
Until then, staying compliant is the safest bet for any licensed operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the mandatory sales rule apply to unlicensed miners?
The rule legally targets only licensed entities, but in practice the CBI monitors power usage across the grid. Unlicensed farms caught by the electricity watchdog can be shut down and face criminal charges.
How is the percentage of coins to be sold determined?
The CBI releases a quarterly notice that sets the percentage based on market volatility, national revenue needs, and energy consumption forecasts. The notice is published on the central bank’s official website.
Can miners transfer the forced‑sale coins to foreign exchanges?
No. The state‑controlled wallet is restricted to domestic use and to the forthcoming digital rial conversion platform. Attempting to move the coins abroad violates the licensing agreement and triggers immediate revocation.
What penalties exist for non‑compliance?
Fines can reach 2% of annual revenue, licences can be suspended for up to six months, and repeat offenders may face up to five years in prison under Iran’s AML statutes.
How does the rule affect Iran’s energy consumption?
By linking mandatory sales to electricity logs, the CBI can automatically throttle farms that exceed pre‑set consumption caps, lowering the risk of rolling blackouts during peak demand periods.
Bottom line: the Iranian Central Bank has turned crypto mining into a revenue‑generating, data‑driven arm of state policy. For miners, the path forward is clear-get licensed, report honestly, and send the required slice of coins to the state wallet. Ignoring the rule is not an option if you want to stay in business and avoid a costly shutdown.
Post Comments (13)
Alright, let’s break down the CBI’s forced‑sale mandate with the kind of granularity a mining ops team actually needs. First, the central bank has institutionalized a mandatory 10‑15% carve‑out of net‑new coins, which means you have to feed a state‑controlled wallet on a daily basis, not just once a quarter. Second, the reporting pipeline is now an API push that spits out hash‑rate, power‑draw, and minted‑coin counts every 24 hours, so your telemetry stack has to be battle‑tested. Third, the AML/KYC layer is baked into the transaction payload, meaning you can’t just dump the slice off‑chain; you need to embed proof‑of‑transfer IDs that the CBI will audit within 48 hours. Fourth, electricity consumption logs are no longer optional-they’re a mandatory CSV attachment that feeds into a throttling algorithm on the grid. Fifth, the penalty matrix scales with revenue: a 2 % fine on yearly turnover can wipe out thin‑margin operations faster than a power outage. Sixth, the state‑wallet address is static per licence, so you’ll want to whitelist it in your node config to avoid accidental double‑spends. Seventh, any deviation triggers an automatic audit flag, which will freeze your licence pending a forensic review. Eighth, the quarterly notice can swing the carve‑out up to 15 % if market volatility spikes, so you need a dynamic spreadsheet that recalculates the required dump in real time. Ninth, the digital rial pilot will eventually allow the CBI to convert the seized coins into a sovereign stablecoin, adding another layer of regulatory compliance. Tenth, for farms operating in special economic zones, the throttling thresholds are higher, but the reporting cadence is the same. Eleventh, if you’re using Python wrappers for the API, make sure you handle rate‑limit back‑off to avoid being black‑listed. Twelfth, consider building a redundancy node that can broadcast the transfer transaction in case the primary node is offline during the 48‑hour window. Thirteenth, keep an eye on the quarterly CBI bulletin-they’ll publish the exact percentage and any changes to the wallet address schema. Fourteenth, integrate smart‑meter data via Modbus so you can auto‑populate the CSV without manual export. Fifteenth, align your internal SOPs with the CBI’s audit checklist, because the reviewers will be looking for exact field names and timestamps. Finally, remember that compliance is now a revenue‑stream for the state, not a punitive measure, so treating it as a cost centre will sabotage your profitability.
Wow, that’s a heavyweight play, but look at the silver lining-by automating the API feed you actually get a crystal‑clear view of your own performance, which is a massive boost for operational efficiency. Think of it as turning compliance into an internal analytics engine that can spot inefficiencies before they drain the grid. The drama of a 48‑hour window feels like a race, but it also forces you to tighten your devops pipeline, which everyone loves.
Honestly, the whole thing sounds intense but doable; just set up a cron job to pull the hash‑rate stats and let the script calculate the exact slice. 😊 The key is keeping the electricity logs tidy so the CBI can’t claim you’re hiding consumption.
Keep it simple. Use a spreadsheet that pulls the API data and auto‑fills the required sale amount. Minimal paperwork, maximal compliance.
Looks like bureaucrats finally found a way to monetize Bitcoin.
Love the spreadsheet idea-just remember to lock the cells that calculate the percentage so you don’t accidentally edit the formula during a hectic day. Also, add a conditional format that flags any power‑draw reading that exceeds the quarterly cap; that visual cue saves a lot of late‑night panic.
From a nationalist perspective, the state's grab of crypto revenue is a strategic masterstroke. By nationalizing a slice of the mining output, Iran not only fills its coffers but also signals to the West that it can weaponize digital assets. The mandate also forces miners to align with domestic energy policies, reducing the risk of foreign sabotage. Moreover, the forced‑sale mechanism creates a sovereign pool that can be leveraged for future digital rial initiatives, effectively establishing a home‑grown crypto reserve. Critics claim this stifles innovation, but in reality it consolidates economic sovereignty in a volatile global environment. The only downside is the potential brain‑drain if miners flee to offshore havens, but the IRGC’s control over the remaining farms mitigates that risk.
The cultural angle is interesting-people see this as a power move, but many miners just want stable electricity bills.
When you step back and view the CBI’s directive through a philosophical lens, it reads like a modern alchemy: turning the volatile gold of mined coins into a state‑sanctioned silver that fuels public projects. The paradox is that the same technology that threatens the grid is now being harnessed to stabilize the economy. It forces us to confront the duality of decentralization-freedom versus control. In practice, the mandatory carve‑out could create a predictable supply curve for the digital rial, smoothing out price spikes that have plagued crypto markets. At the same time, the data‑driven reporting regime introduces a level of transparency that could serve as a model for other jurisdictions wrestling with illicit mining. So while the headline reads “state seizure,” the underlying mechanics might actually democratize access to crypto‑derived wealth, albeit through a centralized conduit. It’s a nuanced evolution, not a simple crackdown.
What a fascinating tapestry you’ve woven, and let me add a few threads of my own. First, the predictability of the state’s coin inflow could enable the digital rial to peg more credibly to a basket of assets, reducing volatility that scares off everyday users. Second, the mandatory reporting API could be repurposed by independent analysts to build real‑time dashboards of Iran’s mining health, fostering a new ecosystem of data‑driven insights. Third, if the CBI publishes quarterly sale totals, market participants can calibrate price expectations, which could attract foreign capital looking for transparent exposure. Fourth, the energy‑log requirement could incentivize farms to invest in renewable sources, as lower consumption per terahash will lower their throttling risk. Fifth, the 48‑hour transfer window creates a natural cadence for liquidity management, allowing the treasury to plan cash flows with greater precision. Sixth, the forced‑sale model may inadvertently create arbitrage opportunities for savvy traders who can convert the state‑received coins into the digital rial at favorable rates before the market catches up. Seventh, the integration of smart‑meter data into compliance reports could serve as a template for other resource‑intensive industries seeking regulatory alignment. Eighth, there is a subtle sociopolitical dimension: by channeling mining profits into state projects, the government can claim a direct link between crypto and public welfare, bolstering legitimacy. Ninth, the risk of underground operations remains, but the combination of grid monitoring and heavy penalties will likely push most miners into the legal fold. Tenth, the digital rial’s success will hinge on its interoperability with existing banking infrastructure-something the CBI appears keen to address. Eleventh, transparency in this process might inspire neighboring countries to adopt similar frameworks, reshaping the regional crypto landscape. Finally, for the average miner, embracing this regime means aligning technical upgrades with compliance checklists, turning what looks like a bureaucratic hurdle into a catalyst for operational excellence.
It is regrettable that such draconian measures are being employed under the guise of economic prudence.
Let’s keep the conversation constructive-compliance doesn’t have to be a nightmare, it can be a roadmap to sustainable mining.
Looks like they’re just trying to control the crypto flow, nothing new.