New US Sanctions Against Central Bank of Iran Crypto Accounts

On July 14 and 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) updated its sanctions list to target several cryptocurrency wallet addresses directly linked to the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) [1]. This action, described as part of a broader campaign known as "Economic Fury," led to the freezing of approximately $131 million in digital assets, primarily held in the form of the Tether (USDT) stablecoin on the Tron blockchain network [2][5].

Details of Asset Freezing on the Tron Network According to reports published by blockchain analysis firms, these wallets had a total transaction volume of over $165 million, with their balance estimated at approximately $130 million at the time the sanctions were applied [1][3]. Scott Bessent, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, stated in an official announcement that this move aims to disrupt Iran's ability to exploit digital assets to bypass international sanctions and fund illicit activities [2][4]. A notable aspect of this operation was the close cooperation of the Tether company with U.S. authorities to block access to these funds at the network level [1].

The Role of the Central Bank of Iran and the Economic Fury Strategy Analysts believe that the Central Bank of Iran was using these accounts as a bridge to convert fiat currencies into stablecoins and transfer money through a shadow banking network [3]. These sanctions come just weeks after OFAC blacklisted four major Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges, including Nobitex and Wallex [1]. The U.S. government claims these networks were utilized to fund regional groups and circumvent SWIFT banking restrictions [5].

Geopolitical Tensions and the Strait of Hormuz The timing of these sanctions coincides with rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Reports indicate that Iranian authorities recently attempted to collect "transit tolls" in cryptocurrency from commercial vessels passing through this international waterway [1][2]. This action by Iran, which met with a sharp reaction from Washington, is cited as one of the primary reasons for accelerating the identification and freezing of wallets linked to the Central Bank [5]. CNBC-e also reported that these measures are part of a multilateral strategy to completely restrict Iran's access to global financial markets, both traditional and digital.

Consequences for the Cryptocurrency Market Although the overall cryptocurrency market did not show a strong reaction to this news, with the price of Bitcoin remaining stable around $64,000, experts believe this action sends a serious message to exchanges and Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) worldwide [3]. The U.S. Treasury has warned that any foreign financial institution facilitating transactions for these sanctioned accounts will face the risk of secondary sanctions [1]. This doubles the pressure on international platforms to more closely monitor transactions related to Iran.