US Seizes Nearly $1 Billion in Iranian Cryptocurrency

The United States has seized nearly $1 billion in cryptocurrency assets linked to Iran as part of a sustained financial pressure campaign, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced. The disclosure was made during a speech at the Reagan National Economic Forum.

Bessent framed the seizures as a direct disruption of illicit financial channels Iran uses to circumvent international sanctions. He stated U.S. authorities have "outright grabbed the wallets" of sanctioned actors and suggested some wallet holders may not yet realize their assets have been taken. The effort is part of a broader initiative termed Operation Economic Fury, which combines cryptocurrency takedowns, banking account freezes, and coordinated asset confiscation with European partners.

Officials described the $1 billion figure as a running total of assets seized and frozen over time, building upon earlier enforcement milestones. In April, authorities announced the freezing of approximately $344 million in the USDT stablecoin across two Tron blockchain wallets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). This action was coordinated with stablecoin issuer Tether following sanctions designations by the...