Bloomberg: Iran has begun charging merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz "passage fees," payable in cryptocurrency, with a maximum of $2 million per trip.

Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Iranian authorities have begun charging transit fees to some merchant ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, with fees varying from case to case, up to $2 million per voyage. The fees are processed privately and accept various payment methods, including US dollar cash, cryptocurrency, and even barter.

This is the most concrete signal yet of Iran's attempt to monetize the Strait of Hormuz. This vital global oil route—through which approximately 20% of the world's oil supply passes daily—is now being used by Iran as leverage, both to demonstrate military influence and to begin converting into a tangible source of revenue. According to foreign media reports, ships from friendly nations like China and India are already operating normally on permitted routes. Analysts point out that the possibility of formalizing this payment arrangement with stablecoins in the future cannot be ruled out, potentially reshaping the global oil payment system.

The White House called it "productive," while Tehran said "no way."

At the same time this news broke, the public statements from the US and Iran were diametrically opposed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Wednesday, "The United States has been having productive dialogue for the past three days, and you will begin to see the administration seeking an exit strategy." Trump himself also told Republican members of Congress that evening, "They very much want to reach an agreement, they just don't dare to say it."

However, Iranian state media took a completely opposite stance. According to Press TV, Tehran's ceasefire proposals included: the US and Israel refraining from resuming attacks, paying war reparations, and formally recognizing Iran's jurisdiction over the Strait of Hormuz. This presents a rare and public contradiction to the "positive dialogue" atmosphere portrayed by the White House.

With less than two days remaining until Friday, the deadline set by Trump for Iran to complete negotiations, all parties remain highly skeptical about whether an agreement can be reached.

Nuclear power plant shelled; Vance's trip abroad still unconfirmed.

On the battlefield, the conflict has not ceased despite negotiations. Iran's Press TV reported that the Bushehr nuclear power plant, located within its borders, has been attacked by artillery fire, adding further uncertainty to the escalation of the conflict.

On the diplomatic front, CNN reported that US Vice President Vance may travel to Pakistan this weekend to attend a negotiation meeting focusing on the Iran issue; however, Levitt only stated that "the situation is still uncertain, and no speculation should be taken as a conclusion before the White House makes an official announcement," deliberately keeping his stance reserved.

Bitcoin follows Holmes' lead; stablecoin payments may become a new variable.

The impact of this conflict on the crypto market has been quite direct. During the escalating Holmes crisis, Bitcoin briefly fell below $68,000; after Trump announced a halt to the airstrikes, the price immediately surged to $71,000, demonstrating the market's high sensitivity to geopolitical news. Meanwhile, Brent crude oil has risen more than 60% this year, briefly reaching $119 per barrel, as macroeconomic inflationary pressures continue to weigh on risk assets.

More noteworthy long-term implications lie in the fact that Iran's use of cryptocurrency to collect "tolls" from the Hormoz, even on a limited scale at present, represents a rare instance of a sovereign nation using non-dollar, non-traditional financial channels to handle cross-border oil transactions. If this model continues to expand and is further formalized as a stablecoin, its potential impact on the global energy dollar system warrants continued monitoring.