US Treasury freezes $131M in Iran-linked cryptocurrency

On-chain investigation revealed the funds were held in four distinct addresses, which were rendered immobile through issuer-level controls embedded within the USDT stablecoin. While these technical mechanisms prevent the movement of assets, the Treasury has not disclosed the specific origin of the funds or the methods used to track them to the Iranian central bank. This intervention follows a larger enforcement action in April, where $344 million in similar assets were frozen.

The operation is a component of the wider "Operation Economic Fury," an initiative targeting crypto exchanges and traditional financial networks accused of facilitating sanctions evasion and military financing. Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that the department remains focused on degrading Iran’s digital asset infrastructure, noting that U.S. authorities have now seized or frozen nearly $1 billion in crypto assets linked to Tehran since the start of 2026. The freeze coincides with a period of heightened military friction, following fresh U.S. strikes against Iranian targets and the resumption of port blockades.