US seizes $1 billion in cryptocurrencies linked to Iran.
- US seizes $1 billion in Iranian cryptocurrencies
- Scott Bessent increases pressure on sanctions evasion.
- Confiscated Bitcoin bolsters US digital reserves
The United States has significantly expanded its offensive against Iran's finances by announcing the seizure of approximately $1 billion in cryptocurrency linked to the Iranian regime. The disclosed amount represents almost double the estimate previously presented by the US government.
The information was revealed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during his participation in the 2026 Reagan National Economic Forum. According to him, authorities believe that Iran had been moving between US$400 million and US$500 million per month through mechanisms designed to circumvent international economic sanctions.
Commenting on the operation, Bessent stated that the diverted funds did not benefit the country's population. "This money was stolen from the Iranian people," Bessent said.
The secretary also detailed how authorities managed to seize control of the digital assets. “I believe we seized about a billion dollars worth of cryptocurrency from them,” Bessent told Larry Kudlow of Fox News. “We simply took the wallets. Some of them might be typing right now and perhaps don’t even realize their wallets were seized.”
The new estimate contrasts with the figures released by the secretary himself in April of this year. At that time, he had reported that the United States had confiscated “nearly $500 million” in cryptocurrencies linked to Iran.
At that time, Bessent emphasized that the government's strategy was not limited to seizing digital assets. "We are freezing bank accounts around the world. More importantly, we are making people less willing to do business with the regime," Bessent said at the time.
In addition to the actions against Iran, the secretary reiterated his support for the US policy of using confiscated Bitcoin to strengthen the country's strategic reserve of digital assets. This position had already been presented in 2025 and reaffirmed again this year.
“This government’s policy is to add seized bitcoins to our digital asset reserve after the damage has been done,” Bessent said earlier this year. “Therefore, our vision for the bitcoin reserve was that we first had to stop selling them, which we have already done, and only then could we add the confiscated assets and property.”
Recent data from the analytics firm Arkham indicates that the United States government holds approximately 328.372 BTC in its custody. At the current price of Bitcoin, this reserve is valued at over US$24 billion, solidifying the country as the largest known state holder of the cryptocurrency in the world.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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