IRGC Reportedly Sets Up Strait of Hormuz Maritime Toll, Taking Payments in Yuan or Crypto

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has reportedly introduced a formal toll regime for transit through the Strait of Hormuz, charging vessels as much as $1 per barrel for "safe passage." Under the system, ship operators seeking to move through amid the ongoing blockade are said to provide manifest details to intermediaries linked to the IRGC and pay fees exclusively in Chinese Yuan or cryptocurrency. Countries considered "friendly," including Pakistan, are reportedly leasing their flags to foreign tankers to enable escorted transits under Iranian naval protection. The setup would give Tehran sweeping leverage over roughly 20% of global oil flows while using digital assets to sidestep Western financial sanctions, according to Bloomberg.