US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the US authorities ordered the freezing of greater than $130 million in cryptocurrency held in wallets linked to Iran on Tuesday, as hostilities ramped up within the Center East.
Earlier on Tuesday, blockchain investigator Specter pointed to onchain knowledge exhibiting Tether froze 4 Tron wallets holding $131 million value of USDt (USDT). Bessent confirmed on X that the wallets have been tied to the Central Financial institution of Iran.
“US Treasury is dedicated to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit monetary actions, together with its abuse of digital belongings,” Bessent stated Tuesday. “We’ll proceed to aggressively observe the cash and deny the Iranian regime entry to the proceeds of its illicit income schemes.”
The asset freeze comes amid a collapse within the ceasefire between the US and Iran. The US stated it has renewed its blockade of Iranian ports, whereas the US navy’s Central Command introduced a brand new wave of strikes on Iran. In the meantime, Iran’s navy claimed on Tuesday that it carried out drone strikes towards US navy amenities at Jordan’s Al Azraq Air Base.
Supply: Scott Bessent
The transfer follows an identical freeze in April, when stablecoin issuer Tether confirmed it had frozen greater than $344 million in USDT on the request of US authorities.
In Could, Bessent stated the US has seized round $1 billion in Iranian crypto belongings as a part of the US monetary strain marketing campaign towards Iran generally known as Operation Financial Fury, which launched in March 2025.
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“Via Financial Fury, the Treasury Division is disrupting the international procurement networks that assist the Iranian navy’s efforts to accumulate weapons,” Bessent stated in an announcement in June.
“Treasury has frozen the Iranian regime’s belongings, severely disrupted its financial system, and dismantled the Iranian struggle machine. Treasury won’t tolerate any assist of the Iranian navy.”
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