Iranian Energy Subsidies for Crypto Mining: How Cheap Power Fuels a National Crisis
1 January 2025
Iran Energy Consumption Calculator
This tool demonstrates the massive scale of electricity consumption by crypto mining operations in Iran compared to what ordinary households need. The data is based on official reports and analysis of Iran's energy crisis.
Electricity Usage Comparison
Key Facts from Article:
- Iran has over 4 million ASIC mining machines - Mining consumes about 2,000 megawatts (5% of total electricity) - Miners pay $0.01-$0.05 per kWh - Households pay significantly more for electricity
Results will appear here after calculation
Iran gives its citizens some of the cheapest electricity in the world-except not for homes, schools, or hospitals. It’s for cryptocurrency mining. While millions of Iranians suffer through 12-hour daily blackouts in the summer, massive mining farms run nonstop, powered by government-subsidized power that costs less than a penny per kilowatt-hour. This isn’t just an odd economic quirk. It’s a system that’s breaking the grid, deepening inequality, and feeding a shadow economy controlled by Iran’s military elite.
How Cheap Electricity Made Iran a Crypto Mining Giant
Iran’s government started legalizing cryptocurrency mining in 2018 as a way to earn foreign cash without selling oil. At the time, the country was already under heavy sanctions. Bitcoin mining offered a loophole: you don’t need to ship anything overseas. You just need electricity and internet. And Iran had both-especially electricity, which the state sells to miners at $0.01 to $0.05 per kilowatt-hour. Compare that to Italy, where mining one Bitcoin costs $306,000 in electricity alone. In Iran? Around $1,300. That’s a 235-fold difference.This price gap turned Iran into one of the most profitable places on Earth to mine Bitcoin. Miners don’t just break even-they make 20 to 30 times their investment. The result? Over 4 million ASIC mining machines are now operating in Iran, consuming nearly 2,000 megawatts of power. That’s 5% of the country’s total electricity use. But here’s the catch: those 2,000 megawatts aren’t evenly distributed. They’re concentrated in industrial zones, warehouses, and even tunnels under stadiums in cities like Ahvaz. Meanwhile, families in Tehran, Shiraz, and Mashhad are left in the dark.
The Grid Is Collapsing-And Ordinary People Are Paying the Price
Iran’s power grid was already old and underfunded before mining took off. Now, it’s on the edge. Energy officials say mining operations are responsible for 15-20% of the country’s electricity imbalance. That means the system can’t keep up with demand, even when everything is running normally. During peak summer months, when air conditioning use spikes, the grid buckles. Blackouts stretch to 21 hours a day in some areas.In July 2025, during a nationwide internet shutdown linked to regional tensions, electricity demand dropped by 2,400 megawatts. Why? Because over 900,000 illegal mining devices were suddenly turned off. That’s not a glitch. That’s proof. The scale of mining is so massive that when it stops, the whole country’s power usage visibly shrinks.
One mining operation alone-the one hidden in the tunnels beneath Ahvaz Stadium-was consuming enough power to run a small city. When authorities discovered it in April 2025, they found hundreds of machines running nonstop while nearby neighborhoods had no electricity for days. Social media is full of stories like this. One Twitter user with over 50,000 followers wrote: “21 hours of blackouts this week while the IRGC’s mining farms in Ahvaz Stadium tunnels run 24/7-this is economic terrorism against ordinary Iranians.”
Who Really Benefits? The IRGC and the Elite
The government claims it’s only allowing licensed miners to operate. But here’s the reality: over 60% of mining operations are illegal. And most of those illegal operations are controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to analysts at Sharif University of Technology and the National Council of Resistance of Iran, the IRGC owns or controls 55-65% of all mining activity in the country. They use state-subsidized power to mine Bitcoin, then sell it abroad for hard currency-dollars and euros-that bypasses sanctions entirely.This isn’t just mining. It’s a state-sanctioned money-laundering scheme. The Central Bank of Iran doesn’t allow citizens to use Bitcoin for payments. But it does let licensed miners export their coins for trade settlements. That means the IRGC uses Bitcoin to buy medicine, machinery, and even weapons from countries that won’t deal with Iran directly. The money flows out. The electricity bills stay in. And the public pays with blackouts and rising prices.
Former Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian warned in 2024 that mining was using up to 10% of Iran’s total electricity generation. He was ignored. Today, Energy Minister Ali Akbar Mehrabian defends the system, saying it brings in $800 million a year in foreign exchange. But that $800 million doesn’t go to hospitals, schools, or power plants. It goes into military and security budgets. Meanwhile, the average Iranian household pays more for electricity than the miners do. And they still get cut off more often.
The Rules Are Designed to Fail
The government pretends it’s trying to regulate mining. Miners need licenses from three different agencies: Industry, Power Generation, and the Central Bank. The process takes 3-6 months. Approval rates are below 40%. And even if you get approved, you’re stuck with a 15-20% commission fee if you use a government-approved mining pool. Meanwhile, illegal miners just plug into household circuits, steal power, and avoid all fees.There’s a reward system: citizens can report illegal mining and get 10% of the recovered electricity costs. In the first half of 2025, over 8,000 reports led to 2,157 shutdowns. But that’s a drop in the ocean. There are still millions of machines running. And every time Bitcoin’s price jumps, blackouts spike by 30-40% within two days. Telegram channels like “Iran Electricity Crisis” now share real-time maps showing outage patterns tied to mining locations. The correlation is undeniable.
Why This Won’t Stop-Even If It Breaks the Country
Iran isn’t going to shut down crypto mining. Not because it’s smart. But because it’s useful. The regime needs foreign cash. Sanctions block oil sales. Mining doesn’t. The IRGC needs a way to fund its operations without going through the banking system. Mining gives them that. The government knows the grid is crumbling. But they’ve made a calculation: the political cost of blackouts is lower than the cost of losing this revenue stream.Other countries have tried to ban mining. China did it in 2021. Kazakhstan raised prices. Iran? It doubled down. It’s the only country where mining is both illegal and officially tolerated. Where the same government that cuts your power is also the one selling your electricity to miners at a fraction of the cost. Where the people who suffer the most have no voice, no power, and no way to fight back.
The International Energy Agency warns that without major grid upgrades, Iran’s power shortages could increase by 25-30% by 2027. But upgrades cost money. And the money is being used to buy more mining rigs, not transformers.
What’s Next?
Iran’s crypto mining model is unsustainable. It’s not a long-term economic strategy. It’s a crisis disguised as a solution. The government will keep banning mining during summer months. It will keep seizing machines. It will keep offering rewards for tips. But it won’t stop the core problem: the state is using public electricity as a tool for private profit-profit that flows to those who already control everything.Until Iran decides to treat electricity as a public good-not a subsidy for military-linked miners-the blackouts will keep coming. And the people who need power the most will keep losing it.
Why does Iran subsidize electricity for crypto mining?
Iran subsidizes electricity for crypto mining to generate foreign currency and bypass international sanctions. By allowing miners to export Bitcoin, the government earns hard currency-dollars and euros-that can be used to buy goods and services from countries that won’t trade with Iran directly. The state keeps control over the process by licensing only a small fraction of miners, while letting the rest operate illegally under the radar, with the IRGC controlling the majority of operations.
How much electricity does crypto mining use in Iran?
Crypto mining in Iran consumes nearly 2,000 megawatts of electricity, which is about 5% of the country’s total power usage. Illegal operations alone are estimated to use up to 2 gigawatts daily-equivalent to the entire electricity demand of Tehran, a city with 9 million people. One Bitcoin requires over 300 megawatt-hours to mine, equal to the daily power use of 35,000 Iranian households.
Is crypto mining legal in Iran?
Crypto mining is technically legal only for licensed operators, but the licensing process is slow, expensive, and restrictive. Approval rates are under 40%, and licensed miners pay $0.04-$0.07 per kWh. Most miners operate illegally, using household electricity at $0.01-$0.02 per kWh. The government tolerates illegal mining because it generates foreign revenue, even though it violates energy laws and worsens blackouts.
Who controls the majority of crypto mining in Iran?
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) controls an estimated 55-65% of all mining operations, either directly or through front companies. They use subsidized power to mine Bitcoin and sell it abroad for hard currency, bypassing sanctions and central bank oversight. This gives the IRGC direct access to funds outside the official financial system.
Why do Iranians suffer blackouts while mining continues?
Iran’s power grid is old and underfunded, and mining operations consume a massive share of electricity-especially during summer when demand is highest. The government prioritizes mining because it brings in foreign cash. Ordinary citizens, who pay higher rates and have no political power, are left with 8-12 hours of daily blackouts. Many blame mining directly, and social media is full of complaints linking price surges in Bitcoin to increased outages.
Can Iran fix its energy crisis by shutting down crypto mining?
Shutting down mining would immediately free up 2,000+ megawatts of electricity-enough to end most blackouts. But the government won’t do it because mining generates $1.5 billion annually in foreign revenue, much of which funds the IRGC and bypasses sanctions. The state prefers to keep mining running during winter months and ban it temporarily in summer, rather than give up the financial benefit. Real reform would require replacing subsidies with fair pricing and investing in grid upgrades-neither of which is politically likely.
Kirsten McCallum
October 29, 2025 AT 05:14Power is a human right. Not a profit center for warlords.
They're not mining Bitcoin. They're mining suffering.
Henry Gómez Lascarro
October 31, 2025 AT 00:30Look, I get the outrage, but let’s be real-this isn’t unique. China banned mining because they couldn’t control it. Iran’s doing exactly what every desperate regime does: exploit the only asset they’ve got left. Electricity is cheap because their oil exports are frozen. They’re not idiots-they’re survivors. The real tragedy? The West still thinks sanctions are a moral tool. They’re not. They’re just making the poor suffer harder while the elite adapt. And yes, the IRGC is stealing power-but they’ve been stealing everything else for decades. This is just the new flavor of the same old corruption. Stop acting shocked. Start asking why the U.S. keeps doubling down on policies that only hurt civilians and empower dictators. We’re not innocent here.
Will Barnwell
October 31, 2025 AT 04:50So mining uses 5% of power? Big whoop. The grid’s old. The population’s growing. The economy’s in shambles. Blaming miners is like blaming the guy who stole your TV when your house was already on fire. Also, Bitcoin’s not even that valuable anymore. Why are we still talking about this like it’s 2021?
Lawrence rajini
November 1, 2025 AT 09:24Man this is wild 😭
People in the dark while machines run 24/7
It’s like the future is here… and it’s broken
But hey-at least they’re not using coal right? 🤔
Maybe we should fund solar grids for Iran instead of just ranting? 🌞⚡
Matt Zara
November 2, 2025 AT 12:39I get the anger. But let’s not pretend this is just about Iran. Every country with a broken grid and a corrupt elite does this. Venezuela. Nigeria. Even Texas during winter storms. The pattern’s the same: power becomes a weapon for the powerful. The solution isn’t to ban mining-it’s to fix the system. Decentralized energy. Solar microgrids. Community ownership. That’s the real innovation. Not Bitcoin. Not sanctions. Just giving people control over their own power. We talk about crypto being the future… maybe it’s time we use that tech to fix the past.
Jean Manel
November 4, 2025 AT 12:185%? That’s a laugh. If you subtract the military’s usage, it’s closer to 12%. And the IRGC’s not even paying taxes on their Bitcoin. They’re laundering through Dubai shell companies and buying drones with it. This isn’t an energy crisis. It’s a kleptocracy with Wi-Fi. And you know what? The West is fine with it. As long as the bombs aren’t aimed at us, we’ll keep pretending it’s ‘just a local issue.’
William P. Barrett
November 6, 2025 AT 04:48There’s a deeper question here: What does it mean to value something? Electricity used to be a public good. Now it’s a commodity to be exploited. Bitcoin mining didn’t create this injustice-it exposed it. The real crime isn’t the machines. It’s the belief that some lives are worth less than the profit they generate. We’ve normalized this everywhere. In America, we let pharmaceutical companies price life-saving drugs out of reach. In Iran, they let the military run power stations while children study by candlelight. The system doesn’t care who suffers. It only cares if the numbers add up.