Nearly $1 Billion In Iranian Crypto Falls Into US Hands

Some Iranian crypto wallet owners may not even know yet that their money is gone. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent disclosed Friday that the US has quietly seized roughly $1 billion in digital assets tied to Iran, a figure that has nearly tripled from earlier estimates released just weeks ago.

Operation Economic Fury

The seizures are part of a campaign called Operation Economic Fury, launched in March 2025, which has gone after Iranian assets on multiple fronts — freezing bank accounts, confiscating properties with European allies, and targeting cryptocurrency holdings.

Bessent spoke about the effort at the Reagan National Economic Forum, describing the operation as part of a broader effort to cut off Iran financially.

The $1 billion disclosure is roughly double the $500 million the Treasury Department announced in late April, and far above the $344 million figure that was made public earlier that same month. The numbers have been climbing fast.

A Regime Under Pressure

Iran’s financial situation, according to Bessent, has grown increasingly dire. He said inflation inside the country has likely surpassed 200%, food vouchers are being handed out, the internet has been shut down, and between 40 and 50% of Iranian troops are not receiving their pay.

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