32 stories about Sanctions from across the crypto press, curated and summarized daily. Most recent: Aug 25, 2026.
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.
The U.S. Treasury has sanctioned over 130 Tron wallets tied to an ISIS affiliate, with Tether freezing the funds. This marks one of the largest crypto-related sanctions actions to date.
The U.S. Treasury's OFAC has added 134 crypto wallet addresses linked to ISIS-K to its sanctions list, including 131 Tron addresses that received over $1.4 million. Tether has already frozen the funds in these wallets.
Blockchain analytics firm TRM Labs alleges CoinEx facilitated over $3.84 billion in blockchain-traced flows with sanctioned Iranian crypto entities. CoinEx disputes the findings, calling the data incomplete and reaffirming its compliance measures.
The European Union is targeting 11 cryptocurrency platforms in its latest sanctions against Russia, aiming to cut off financial networks helping Moscow evade restrictions. This move could disrupt crypto transactions and tighten financial scrutiny on digital assets.
Russia has sanctioned a 17-year-old British teenager for reporting on a ruble-pegged stablecoin allegedly used to evade sanctions. The teen's father, political activist Bill Browder, called this the first time a high school student has been targeted by an authoritarian regime.
Russia has sanctioned a British teenager for alleging that the A7A5 stablecoin was used to fund its war in Ukraine. The A7A5 stablecoin was designed to bypass sanctions imposed on Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.