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littlemissmartypants

(34,626 posts)
Fri May 29, 2026, 05:20 PM 9 hrs ago

US says it has seized $1 billion in crypto assets from Iran

Source: Reuters/Times of Israel

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US has seized $1 billion in Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of the economic component of President Donald Trump's war on the Islamic Republic.

By Reuters
Today, 10:38 pm Israel (7 hours ahead)

Read more: https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/us-says-it-has-seized-1-billion-in-crypto-assets-from-iran/



US Reaches $1 Billion Seized Iran Crypto to Date: Bessent's Big Update

US reaches $1 billion cumulative seizure of Iranian crypto assets to date.
Bessent updates total from $500 million in April to $1 billion today.
Part of Operation Economic Fury targeting Iran sanctions evasion networks.

Cumulative Total Hits $1 Billion
The figure represents the running total seized to date, not a single new action announced today.

It builds on earlier milestones, including a major April 2026 freeze of $344 million in USDT on the Tron blockchain.

Published:
29 May 2026, 19:22 UTC
Updated:
29 May 2026, 19:31 UTC

https://beincrypto.com/us-1-billion-seized-iran-crypto/
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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US says it has seized $1 billion in crypto assets from Iran (Original Post) littlemissmartypants 9 hrs ago OP
isn't that why they use crypto? so the gov't can't seize it? rampartd 9 hrs ago #1
I suspect that the sanctions placed on Iran have fixed any problems to access the regime had. littlemissmartypants 9 hrs ago #4
Are crypto assets real? Being a basic (poor) person on a fixed income I really don't know... wcmagumba 9 hrs ago #2
I'm no expert Laha 8 hrs ago #6
Buy drugs or weapons? WA-03 Democrat 7 hrs ago #11
Trump stealing everything down to the studs is official US policy. Irish_Dem 9 hrs ago #3
This stillspkg 5 hrs ago #13
I so wished that the pedopres did not represent me or all the other decent Americans in any way. efhmc 5 hrs ago #14
What's His Cut 2na fisherman 9 hrs ago #5
I expect we'll never know. Harker 8 hrs ago #8
That was my first thought, 2na fisherman. They probably took more than that but we're only hearing about a small bit. littlemissmartypants 8 hrs ago #9
Since it's fake money anyway, they'll keep all of it FakeNoose 8 hrs ago #10
I don't believe it. paleotn 8 hrs ago #7
"Crypto Assets" mdbl 6 hrs ago #12
IMO this is one more grandiose lie. No evidence to support it and dealing with a "currency" which exists in abstraction Ford_Prefect 4 hrs ago #15
My question is why does Bessent seem to be doing Marco Rubio's job? littlemissmartypants 2 hrs ago #18
$1 billion in crypto assets Roy Rolling 4 hrs ago #16
These seized assets are the assets of the Iranian government. littlemissmartypants 2 hrs ago #17

littlemissmartypants

(34,626 posts)
4. I suspect that the sanctions placed on Iran have fixed any problems to access the regime had.
Fri May 29, 2026, 05:25 PM
9 hrs ago

Laha

(436 posts)
6. I'm no expert
Fri May 29, 2026, 06:29 PM
8 hrs ago

Just speaking from some small personal trading experience.

The short answer is no. They don't produce anything so the value only exists by what people believe it to be.

"Seizing" crypto funds isn't like seizing currency. All they're going to do is spook the investors who might buy, and as a result tank the market. There will be nothing to withdraw from anywhere because it takes public trust. Which is eroding quickly, because crypto has repeatedly proven itself to be nothing but a haven for risky investors and tax evaders.

I don't know where things will go from here. Just my random thoughts.

WA-03 Democrat

(3,372 posts)
11. Buy drugs or weapons?
Fri May 29, 2026, 07:28 PM
7 hrs ago

There is no physical asset behind it, no bank, no country, no hard currency. It’s just a digital asset that sits on a server and in someone’s or thing’s digital wallet. The values swing and the valuation is suspect like everything else these days. Where are those 2 missing pilots we got out during Easter weekend now?

Think of it as a bag of magic beans that don’t work-but we have a billion more now.

stillspkg

(209 posts)
13. This
Fri May 29, 2026, 09:50 PM
5 hrs ago

It is theft, or bullying. So sick. I'm sure there will be no end to this until that kind of crap stops

efhmc

(17,047 posts)
14. I so wished that the pedopres did not represent me or all the other decent Americans in any way.
Fri May 29, 2026, 09:55 PM
5 hrs ago

littlemissmartypants

(34,626 posts)
9. That was my first thought, 2na fisherman. They probably took more than that but we're only hearing about a small bit.
Fri May 29, 2026, 06:40 PM
8 hrs ago

paleotn

(22,820 posts)
7. I don't believe it.
Fri May 29, 2026, 06:31 PM
8 hrs ago

If Bessent, the man with the most punchable face imaginable, said the sun rises in the east each morning, I'd ask for confirmation.

Ford_Prefect

(8,676 posts)
15. IMO this is one more grandiose lie. No evidence to support it and dealing with a "currency" which exists in abstraction
Fri May 29, 2026, 10:23 PM
4 hrs ago
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