U.S. Treasury · Scott Bessent · Iran · Bitcoin · Israel · Decrypt
Treasury Secretary Bessent Confirms US Has 'Grabbed' $1 Billion in Crypto From Iran
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◎ Multiple-sources
The U.S. government has seized vast sums of cryptocurrency from entities linked to Iran’s military since the war broke out in February, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Key facts
- I believe that we have seized about $1 billion of their crypto,” Bessent told Fox Business Network’ s Larry Kudlow
- Speaking Friday at the 2026 Reagan National Economic Forum in Simi Valley, California, he said that some actors holding digital assets may not even know the funds are gone
- Fars, a state-affiliated Iranian news agency, reported this month that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has promoted a Bitcoin-settled maritime insurance platform called Hormuz Safe
- In April, the Financial Times reported that Iran plans to require oil tankers passing through the strait to pay transit fees in Bitcoin
Summary
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that the U.S. has seized roughly $1 billion worth of cryptocurrencies from Iran. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has reportedly embraced Bitcoin, from maritime insurance to shipping tolls. Actors linked to Iran have used Tether’s USDT stablecoin to move funds, Israeli authorities alleged last year. Speaking Friday at the 2026 Reagan National Economic Forum in Simi Valley, California, he said that some actors holding digital assets may not even know the funds are gone.