• US freezes over $130M in crypto tied to Iran’s Central Bank through OFAC sanctions.
• Four Tron wallets holding about $131M in USDT were frozen following the sanctions.
• Treasury expands crypto sanctions as Operation Economic Fury targets Iran’s networks.

The United States has frozen more than $130 million in cryptocurrency linked to Iran’s Central Bank after sanctioning multiple digital wallets. The action forms part of Washington’s broader campaign to disrupt alleged sanctions evasion and illicit financial networks using digital assets.

Treasury Targets Iran-Linked Crypto Wallets

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned several cryptocurrency wallets connected to the Central Bank of Iran. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the enforcement action on July 15, stating that more than $130 million in digital assets had been frozen.

Bessent said the Treasury remains committed to disrupting Iran’s illicit financial activities involving cryptocurrency. He added that authorities will continue tracking financial flows and blocking access to funds linked to sanctioned entities.

Blockchain investigator Specter identified four wallets on the Tron blockchain holding roughly $131 million in Tether’s USDT stablecoin. Following the sanctions, Tether froze the addresses using controls built into the stablecoin, preventing any further transfers.

.@USTreasury is committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets.  Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned multiple wallets tied to the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in the freeze of over $130…

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) July 14, 2026

Treasury officials did not publicly identify the wallet addresses included in the sanctions. Likewise, authorities have not disclosed how investigators traced the assets or determined their intended use.

The latest action expands U.S. efforts to restrict digital asset networks that officials believe support Iran’s financial operations. Consequently, cryptocurrency has become an increasing focus of sanctions enforcement alongside traditional banking channels.

Crypto Sanctions Expand During 2026

The wallet freeze follows several enforcement actions targeting Iran’s cryptocurrency ecosystem during 2026. In April, Tether froze approximately $344 million in USDT held across two Tron wallets after U.S. authorities linked them to Iranian financial networks.

At the time, blockchain analysis connected transaction activity to intermediaries associated with Iran’s Central Bank and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Those funds were also frozen through Tether’s issuer-level controls instead of changes to the Tron blockchain.

Meanwhile, the Treasury sanctioned four Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges in June, including Nobitex. Officials alleged the platforms facilitated significant digital asset inflows into Iran during 2025.

Treasury has described these actions as part of Operation Economic Fury, which targets cryptocurrency exchanges, digital wallets, and financial networks accused of helping Iran evade sanctions.

The latest sanctions also highlight the role of centralized stablecoins in regulatory enforcement. Unlike decentralized cryptocurrencies, issuers such as Tether can freeze specific wallet addresses when required under sanctions or law enforcement actions.

The announcement comes as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated. However, Treasury’s public statement focused on financial enforcement and did not provide additional details regarding the origin or planned use of the frozen cryptocurrency.