US Imposes Sanctions on Bitcoin Exchanges Linked to Iran for the First Time

US Treasury sanctions Zedcex and Zedxion for ties to Iran.

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added digital asset platforms Zedcex and Zedxion to its sanctions list.

Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control took additional action against Iranian officials responsible for the regime’s brutal crackdown on its own people. Today’s targets include Iran’s Minister of the Interior, who oversees the entity responsible killing thousands of…

— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) January 30, 2026

The decision regarding the UK-registered crypto exchanges is part of additional measures against Iranian officials responsible for repression against their own people.

Among those sanctioned by OFAC are Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni Kalagari, head of intelligence IRGC Majid Khademi, and several regional commanders of this paramilitary structure.

Also on the list is entrepreneur Babak Morteza Zanjani. In March 2016, Iranian authorities sentenced him to death for embezzling $1 billion from national oil revenues. However, in 2024, the businessman was released and began providing money laundering and financial support services to the state.

As a result, Zedcex and Zedxion, affiliated with Zanjani, were sanctioned by OFAC. According to the Office, the platforms processed funds linked to the IRGC. Transactions through Zedcex exceeded $94 million.

“This is the first instance where OFAC has added digital asset exchanges to the sanctions list for activities in Iran’s financial sector,” the agency’s statement said.

Being added to the sanctions list means that all property of the listed individuals and organizations in the US is blocked. The measures apply to any property in which they hold at least a 50% interest.

Earlier, Iran’s central bank acquired USDT worth $507 million to support the economy amid international sanctions, as discovered by Elliptic.