# US Seizes $1 Billion in Iranian Crypto, Bessent Says

**Published:** 2026-05-30T03:07:45.000Z  
**Topic:** Banking  
**Sentiment:** bearish  
**Publisher:** TrendWatcher — https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/3e4c0ff1-90e9-4948-8cc4-f8f8efe180a3

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the US seized $1 billion in Iranian-linked cryptocurrency under Operation Economic Fury amid economic sanctions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the United States has seized approximately $1 billion in cryptocurrency linked to Iran as part of a campaign to dismantle Tehran's financial networks [1]. Speaking at the Reagan National Economic Forum, Bessent described the effort, known as "Operation Economic Fury," as a systematic push to cut off funding channels used by the Iranian regime [1][3].

**Key takeaways**
*   The U.S. claims to have seized roughly $1 billion in Iranian-linked cryptocurrency under "Operation Economic Fury" [1].
*   A major action in April 2026 saw Tether freeze $344 million in USDT on the Tron blockchain linked to the IRGC [1][3].
*   Bessent cited Iran's worsening economy, noting inflation over 200% and unpaid military personnel [2].
*   Reports suggest a discrepancy between Bessent's $1 billion claim and confirmed figures of nearly $500 million plus the Tether freeze [4].

## Operation targets digital wallets and stablecoins

Bessent stated that authorities have "outright grabbed the wallets" of Iranian actors, with the total seized value approaching $1 billion [3]. However, there is some discrepancy regarding the exact accounting; while the Secretary claims the $1 billion figure, other reports indicate that confirmed seizures from officials are closer to $500 million, with an additional $344 million frozen separately by Tether [4]. The largest single identified action occurred in late April 2026, when Tether froze $344 million in USDT across two Tron blockchain addresses after analytics firm Chainalysis identified on-chain patterns consistent with known Iranian military wallets [1][3]. Prior to these interventions, Iran was reportedly moving between $400 million and $500 million monthly through these cryptocurrency channels to bypass sanctions [3].

## Economic pressure follows military escalation

The financial campaign follows a period of intense military confrontation in the Middle East. On February 27, 2026, the U.S. and Israel launched "Operation Epic Fury," a coordinated airstrike campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities and military infrastructure, which prompted Iranian ballistic missile retaliation across the region [1]. Bessent linked the economic pressure to severe distress within Iran, claiming inflation has exceeded 200% and that large numbers of military personnel are going unpaid [2]. He also noted that Iranian authorities have resorted to food vouchers and internet shutdowns [2]. Before the heightened scrutiny, Iran had reportedly planned to require ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz

## Sources
1. Bitcoin Magazine — [U.S. Treasury: The United States Has Seized Nearly $1 Billion of Iran’s Crypto](https://bitcoinmagazine.com/news/u-s-treasury-the-united-states-iran)
2. CoinDesk — [U.S. says it seized about $1 billion in Iranian crypto as pressure campaign expands](https://www.coindesk.com/business/2026/05/30/u-s-says-it-seized-about-usd1-billion-in-iranian-crypto-as-pressure-campaign-expands)
3. The Currency Analytics — [US Treasury Hits $1 Billion in Frozen Iranian Crypto as Tron Wallets Go Dark](https://thecurrencyanalytics.com/stable-coins/us-treasury-hits-1-billion-in-frozen-iranian-crypto-as-tron-wallets-go-dark-261993)
4. Crypto Briefing — [US Treasury seizes nearly $500M in Iranian crypto as Bessent touts ‘Operation Economic Fury’](https://cryptobriefing.com/treasury-seizes-iranian-crypto-operation-economic-fury/)

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Cite as: TrendWatcher, "US Seizes $1 Billion in Iranian Crypto, Bessent Says", https://www.trendwatcher.in/article/3e4c0ff1-90e9-4948-8cc4-f8f8efe180a3