US seized $500M in Iranian crypto assets, Treasury secretary says

The U.S. Treasury has seized nearly $500 million in Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of “Operation Economic Fury,” a sanctions and asset-freezing campaign, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. The figure exceeds a previously disclosed $344 million that Tether said it had frozen in USDT at U.S. request. The enforcement actions — including OFAC sanctions on banking, shipping and procurement networks — intensify regulatory risk around crypto, particularly stablecoins and Bitcoin usage in sanctioned finance. Markets may see heightened scrutiny on on‑chain flows and custodial freezes, while Iran’s reported move to consider Bitcoin tolls and fraudsters soliciting BTC/USDT payments could further complicate on‑chain monitoring and compliance.