The Development of Digital Currency Technology and its impact on the spread of Criminal Activities (Study of foreign exchange and goods smuggling)

Among the most important and remarkable technological developments that have played an important role in the evolution of commercial exchanges at the national and international level is the emergence of digital currencies or cryptocurrency. The high capability of these cryptocurrencies in hiding the path of commercial exchanges and using peer-to-peer technology and removing the regulatory factor has caused a great desire to use these cryptocurrencies in criminal activities. On the other hand, this platform is a very suitable medium for the growth and development of criminal activities. The main issue is whether the entry of cryptocurrencies into Iran has had an effect on the increase in the volume of foreign exchange and goods smuggling and to what extent has this effect been? If the answer to this question is positive, the hypothesis of criminals using cryptocurrencies to facilitate their transactions is confirmed. To answer the question of this research, the ARDL method has been used, with the help of which data extracted from reliable statistical institutions have been analyzed. The results of the research show that the entry of digital currencies in Iran's economy has caused an increase in smuggling. The results show that the impact of using cryptocurrencies in smuggling is very high and can by long term be predicted up to 46%. Naturally, regulatory bodies should carry out the necessary supervision through possible channels, including service provider exchanges.