Pressure is mounting from the Trump administration to stifle Iran’s use of cryptocurrencies. The US Treasury has frozen nearly $500 million in digital assets linked to the system as part of Operation Economic Outrage.
Treasurer Scott Besent revealed the figure last week, including $344 million seized the previous month. It is estimated that Iran’s total holdings of digital assets are approaching $7.7 billion as tensions rise in the Middle East.
Inside the economic outrage process
Treasury officials say the campaign targets the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is also pursuing regional agents and Shadow banking networks That drives oil revenues.
Bessant framed this strategy as pushing the regime into a financial crisis.
It was the largest single action to date Freezing $344 million on the TRON networkin coordination with Tether.
This step came in the wake of previous US measures against British exchanges linked to Iran On charges of directing funds to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
It is now estimated that Tehran owns approximately $7.7 billion in digital assets, a figure quote Written by Fox Business correspondent Darren Botello, based on threat detection data.
This total ranks Iran among the countries The largest holders of sovereign cryptocurrencies Tracked by blockchain analysis companies.
Bitcoin as a new banking solution
The system relies more heavily on Bitcoin (BTC) to move funds outside the traditional banking system. Tehran recently launched a state-backed system Marine insurance platform It is called Hormuz Safe.
The platform settles shipping policies entirely in BTC for ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
BTC was trading near $77,355 at press time, up a modest 0.006% over 24 hours, with the leading cryptocurrency turning Iran’s wartime economy Adding geopolitical weight to its movements in the short term.
Why trail prefers investigators
Despite cryptocurrencies’ reputation as an alternative solution to sanctions, US officials say the opposite is true in practice. Cross-chain transactions leave permanent records that allow forensic companies to map wallets linked to the IRGC and the Central Bank of Iran.
“We’ve found over and over again that they’re actually a much better asset for tracking U.S. law enforcement and other agencies because you leave a lot more breadcrumbs,” Fox Business said. I mentionedQuoted by Chris Perkins, CEO of 250 Digital Asset Management.
Traceability now favors implementation. Industry insiders also told the network that Washington may threaten to cut off cryptocurrency exchanges from US banking services.
Such a move still targets companies Addressing flows linked to Iran. The coming weeks should show whether the Treasury will turn to exchange operators.
Focus will also be on how Tehran can modify its Bitcoin-based solutions.
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