U.S. Treasury Freezes Over $130 Million in Crypto Linked to Iran

The U.S. Treasury, via the Office of Foreign Assets Control, froze more than $130 million in cryptocurrency linked to Iran's central bank, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The action targeted multiple digital-asset wallets, including four wallets on the Tron network holding approximately 131 million USDT.

The freeze follows OFAC's June sanctions against four Iran-based crypto exchanges—Nobitex, Bitpin, Ramzinex and Wallex—and reflects Washington's escalating use of stablecoins as a sanctions enforcement tool. The move marks a significant shift in targeting the Central Bank of Iran directly, rather than only exchange operators, signaling that crypto rails are now treated as an extension of Iran's financial system.