Netanyahu suggests Israel use cryptocurrency to bypass economic sanctions

Two days before the general elections, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed that Israel should prepare to use cryptocurrency to circumvent potential economic sanctions, Grenada Chronicle reported on October 25, 2026.

Netanyahu described blockchain-based cryptocurrency as a solution to bypass mounting sanctions that could exclude Israel from the international financial system. He emphasized the need to develop alternative economic systems that can evade banking sanctions.

The Bank of Israel, the country's central bank, rejected Netanyahu's plan. Opposition parties criticized the proposal, warning it could lead to greater isolation and be disastrous for the country.

Netanyahu's pitch comes amid increasing international isolation of Israel due to its ongoing conflict with Palestinians, including a surge in settler violence and expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 74,500 Palestinians killed since the war on Gaza began.