US Seizes $1 Billion in Iranian Crypto Assets Amid Wider Economic Pressure

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced that authorities have seized around $1 billion in Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of a broader strategy to disrupt financial channels tied to Tehran.

The move is seen as a significant step in the US's efforts to apply pressure on Iran's economy, with officials alleging that the funds represented money taken from the Iranian people.

Bessent made the disclosure during remarks at the 2026 Reagan National Economic Forum, where he highlighted the US's multi-pronged strategy against sanctions evasion and revenue flows.

The Treasury Department has been intensifying efforts to disrupt shadow banking networks, organisations accused of supplying military components to Iran, and individuals allegedly involved in facilitating oil sales connected to Iran-backed militias.