38 stories about Sanctions from across the crypto press, curated and summarized daily. Most recent: Oct 24, 2026.
Benjamin Netanyahu says he has asked for a blockchain plan in case sanctions target Israel’s banking system. He made the remarks days before Israel’s election and urged Israelis to prepare for a “rainy day” after Trump, but the reports do not describe a specific system or policy.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the U.S. is targeting about $1 billion in Iran-linked cryptocurrency and knows where the funds are. Reports say a seizure or freeze could happen this week, but they do not identify the crypto asset or explain the legal and technical steps involved.
A Senate report accuses Tether’s USDT stablecoin of enabling Iran’s shadow banking system, with $344 million in USDT previously frozen by the U.S. Treasury. Senator Blumenthal calls it a 'superhighway' for sanctions evasion.
U.S. federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the Justice Department are probing whether Binance allowed trades linked to Iran, potentially violating sanctions. Binance claims a 'zero-tolerance policy' for such violations, but prosecutors are scrutinizing its 2023 compliance measures.
The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned the Iranian crypto exchange BitBank for facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin transactions to the Revolutionary Guards. These funds were collected as tolls from ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil chokepoint.
The U.S. Secret Service has frozen $52.8 million in cryptocurrency tied to Xinbi, a Telegram-based marketplace accused of facilitating global scams. The Treasury Department has sanctioned the platform, which reportedly processed $24 billion in crypto transactions.
The US Treasury has added digital assets to its sanctions list as part of a broader campaign called "Economic D-Day," targeting five sectors including technology, gold, aviation, and shipping. Anyone operating in Iran's crypto sector now faces potential sanctions.
Binance will stop processing transactions involving 11 crypto platforms, including HTX, which was recently added to the EU’s sanctions list targeting Russia. This move affects users trading on these platforms and highlights the growing regulatory scrutiny in the crypto space.
The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned two cryptocurrency exchanges, accusing them of laundering millions for Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The exchanges are based in Georgia, the UAE, and Iran.
A Dubai-based crypto exchange, Shelbit, reportedly processed $4B since May 2024, with $676M flowing to Binance. The operation is tied to Iranian gambling sites, the central bank, and the IRGC, according to Reuters.
OFAC sanctioned two Iranian firms including Hormuz Safe, which accepts payment in Bitcoin and other digital assets for passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned a bitcoin-based insurance platform called Hormuz Safe, alleging it's part of a scheme to evade sanctions tied to IRGC-backed shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. This is the latest example of crypto being used to bypass international financial restrictions.
Shelbit, a Dubai-based crypto exchange, allegedly facilitated a $4 billion network evading Iran sanctions by moving funds through major exchanges like Binance. The scheme involved gambling sites and sanctioned Iranian entities, according to a Reuters report.
The European Union has added HTX and seven other crypto platforms to its sanctions list against Russia. Transactions with these platforms will be banned starting August 23, 2026. The other platforms include EXMO, Rapira, BitPapa, Aifory Pro, WhiteBird, NoOnecrypto, and Exnode.
The European Union has named Justin Sun's crypto exchange HTX in its 21st Russia sanctions package, accusing it of "significantly frustrating" sanctions enforcement. The EU stopped short of a full asset freeze, following the UK's similar move two months earlier.
The European Union has included the HTX cryptocurrency exchange in its sanctions against Russia. This move follows similar action by the UK and targets entities defying EU measures. HTX is now one of 18 entities accused of providing crypto services in violation of sanctions.
The EU is considering a ban on third-country crypto service providers for the first time and is targeting 14 crypto companies, which it has not named yet, as part of its 21st sanctions package against Russia.
Russia has passed a law allowing crypto trading but limits individual investments to $3,800 per year. The law primarily aims to help companies bypass sanctions and trade internationally.
Russia's parliament has passed its first comprehensive crypto law, creating a state-regulated framework for exchanges and investors. The law establishes state-run platforms to facilitate trade, particularly for sanctioned entities. The law is expected to take effect in 2027, but implementation details remain unclear.
The U.S. Treasury has frozen a $130 million crypto wallet tied to Iran’s IRGC. This is part of a broader effort to track and seize assets linked to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, increasing economic pressure on Tehran.
Russia's parliament is close to passing its first comprehensive crypto law, which would license exchanges and allow companies to pay foreign partners in crypto, bypassing Western sanctions. The law also limits individual investments to about $3,800 per year.
A report alleges that a crypto bank linked to former President Trump built a system to bypass U.S. sanctions on Iran. The bank also used the AI Claude to write ad copy promoting the service.
The U.S. has added four crypto wallets linked to Iran's central bank to its sanctions list, and Tether has frozen $131 million of the contents. This move targets TRON-based addresses holding over $165 million, preventing those funds from being transferred or redeemed.
A7A5 claims crypto data providers understate its trading activity, while blockchain analytics firms say the ruble-backed token's volumes have fallen sharply this year. The discrepancy highlights ongoing tensions between sanctioned entities and independent data providers.