IRAN LAUNCHES BITCOIN-BACKED SHIPPING INSURANCE

The insurance offering represents an unconventional approach to maritime risk management in one of the world's most critical shipping chokepoints. Through the Strait of Hormuz, roughly one-third of global seaborne oil passes annually, making the waterway essential to international commerce. The service's Bitcoin backing underscores growing adoption of cryptocurrency in cross-border transactions, particularly among nations facing international sanctions or payment restrictions. Iran has increasingly turned to digital assets as a workaround for financial isolation. Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency sector faces its own challenges. Bitcoin Depot, North America's largest Bitcoin ATM operator and a Nasdaq-listed company, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy this week, citing "increasingly stringent compliance obligations" as a primary factor. The filing highlights mounting regulatory pressures on crypto infrastructure providers. In institutional investment news, Strategy completed purchases of 24,869 Bitcoin for approximately $2.01 billion at an average price of $80,985 per coin, bringing its total holdings to 843,738 BTC—representing over 4% of total Bitcoin supply.