TLDR
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has asked for a blockchain plan to prepare for possible economic sanctions.
- He spoke on Israel’s Channel 10 and said sanctions could include banking restrictions.
- He did not say who is preparing the plan, which blockchain or currencies it would use, or when it could start.
- He warned that U.S. military aid will eventually end and said he added 400 billion shekels, about $129 billion, to the defense budget.
- Iran and Russia already use crypto to get around banking sanctions, and Israel unveiled a preliminary Digital Shekel design in 2025.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he has asked for a plan involving blockchain technology. The goal is to help Israel prepare for possible economic sanctions, including banking restrictions.
🇮🇱 JUST IN: Israel's Prime Minister is considering crypto to get around possible banking sanctions.
Netanyahu said Israel must prepare an economy that can bypass banking sanctions, and that he's working on currencies that get around them.
On blockchain, he said: "One of them,… pic.twitter.com/srlMsgRE8L
— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) October 24, 2026
He made the comments in an interview broadcast Friday on Israel’s Channel 10. The remarks were reported using a translation of the Hebrew transcript.
“We need to understand that there could be sanctions, including banking sanctions,” Netanyahu said. “You need to prepare an economy that can bypass them.”
He added that he knew about “the currencies that bypass this” and said he was working on that too. He also said there are other measures under way.
Interviewer Roy Katz then asked if Netanyahu saw blockchain as an alternative for dealing with sanctions. Netanyahu answered that it was “one of them, certainly.” He said he had already asked for a plan to be prepared.
What Netanyahu Did Not Say
Netanyahu gave few details about the plan. He did not say who would prepare it. He also did not name a specific blockchain or currency.
No timeline was given for when the plan could be put in place. It is also unclear whether it would involve existing cryptocurrencies or a new digital currency.
Warning on U.S. Military Aid
Netanyahu also spoke about Israel’s reliance on the United States. He said he had secured tens of billions of dollars in military aid. He warned that the support would not last forever.
“It’s only a matter of time,” he said.
He said Israel must build its military strength and also make its own ammunition and weapons. He said he had added 400 billion shekels, or about $129 billion, to the defense budget over the coming years.
Netanyahu said Israel should also prepare for a less favorable political climate in the United States after President Donald Trump leaves office. He called Trump the friendliest president Israel has had.
How Other Countries Use Crypto
Other governments already use blockchain tools in different ways. The U.S. government partners with Chainlink to publish economic data onchain.
Iran uses crypto assets such as Bitcoin and USDT to get around banking sanctions and to pay for imports. Earlier this year, it released a Strait of Hormuz insurance proposal that would have required ships to pay tolls in crypto.
Russia also uses crypto assets for international trade settlements and cross-border payments.
This is not the first time Israel has looked at blockchain. In 2025, it unveiled a preliminary design for a Digital Shekel, its central bank digital currency. It has not released further plans for the project.
On Friday, Netanyahu confirmed he had requested the blockchain plan but offered no further detail.
