U.S. says it seized about $1 billion in Iranian crypto as pressure campaign expands

The seizure, falling under "Operation Economic Fury," aims to restrict Iran's access to overseas revenue, banking networks, and crypto infrastructure.

What to know:

1. The U.S. seized about $1 billion in cryptocurrency tied to Iran as part of a campaign to cut off funding channels used by Tehran.
2. The seizure, falling under "Operation Economic Fury," aims to restrict Iran's access to overseas revenue, banking networks, and crypto infrastructure.
3. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent linked the pressure campaign to Iran's worsening economy, citing over 200% inflation and unpaid military personnel.

The United States has seized about $1 billion worth of cryptocurrency tied to Iran, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, describing the action as part of a broader campaign to cut off funding channels used by Tehran.

Speaking in an interview on Fox Business, Bessent said U.S. authorities had “grabbed the wallets” and seized cryptocurrency connected to Iran.

He said the effort falls under Operation Economic Fury, an administration initiative aimed at restricting Iran’s access to overseas revenue, banking networks and digital-asset infrastructure.

“In addition, Treasury has cracked down on Tehran’s global shadow banking networks; designated networks supplying weapons and other military components to Iran; sanctioned a corrupt Iraqi official who has facilitated the sale of oil along with Iran-backed militias operating in Iraq,” a press release from the Treasury reads.

Bessent said the pressure campaign had contributed to worsening economic conditions in Iran. He added that large numbers of military personnel were not being paid, police officers were failing to report for duty, and inflation had exceeded 200%.

He also said Iranian authorities had resorted to food vouchers and internet shutdowns.

The Treasury secretary said the U.S. and its partners were also targeting overseas real estate and other assets that he described as proceeds diverted from the Iranian people.

He added that Iranian officials had previously moved hundreds of millions of dollars each month before Treasury intervention.

Read more: Iran crisis puts the regime's $7.8 billion crypto shadow economy in spotlight

More For You

CertiK CEO and co-founder Ronghui Gu says April was the worst month for DeFi in four years with exploits on 27 out of 30 days.

What to know:

• Traditional financial institutions are interested in moving trillions of dollars of assets onchain over the next decade but are deterred by pervasive security risks.
• CertiK CEO Ronghui Gu says near-daily hacks—many accelerated by AI and targeting smart contracts, oracles and cross-chain bridges—are a major barrier to large-scale institutional adoption.
• Recent...

Wall Street’s trillion-dollar dilemma: Why AI-powered hackers are keeping big banks off the blockchain

1 hour ago

When the market is bad, we build: Inside Binance’s bold 2030 master plan

3 hours ago

Hyperliquid could become a ‘financial services juggernaut’ as DeFi expands, says Grayscale

3 hours ago

XRP ETFs add $35 million as bitcoin and ether funds lost $2 billion in late May

4 hours ago

Bitcoin, ether, XRP, dogecoin lag a nine-week stocks rally as ETF demand cools

10 hours ago

Bitcoin’s biggest quantum risk may not be wallet keys. An early investor fears something bigger

10 hours ago

U.S. CFTC opens crypto 'perp' door with first approvals at Kalshi, Coinbase

May 29, 2026

What American crypto asset perpetuals mean for the future of crypto

May 29, 2026

‘The banks will not accept it’: Dimon escalates battle over stablecoin rewards in CLARITY Act debate

19 hours ago

U.S. regulator says 24/7 trading is great for crypto, may not be fit for other sectors

23 hours ago

Hyperliquid bigger than NASDAQ, says ICE CEO Jeffrey Sprecher

May 29, 2026