The US Imposed Sanctions on an Exchange for BTC Transfers to the IRGC

The US imposed sanctions on the Iranian crypto exchange a major exchange over Bitcoin transfers in favor of the IRGC. We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars. This hit traders who track sanctions risks, as well as BTC holders.

Pishtaz Simorgh Electronic Trade Company and three people linked to Babak Zanjani were also hit by the restrictions. According to the US Treasury, a major exchange operated as part of a network for moving capital and evading sanctions. This also included, according to Washington, payments from the sanctioned Hormuz Safe Marine Services Authority.

The story did not come out of nowhere. In January 2026, TRM Labs estimated that IRGC-related activity through Zanjani-linked platforms Zedcex and Zedxion was nearly $1 billion. And Chainalysis wrote that in Q4 2025, addresses linked to the IRGC accounted for more than 50% of the value received by the entire Iranian crypto segment. So the new case looks like a continuation of a familiar scheme.

Why was a major exchange targeted?

In the OFAC statement, it was said that from June to July 2026 Babak Zanjani used a major exchange to transfer Bitcoin in favor of the IRGC. The exact amount was not named, only broadly as hundreds of millions of dollars. That is already a large scale.

Another important detail: since June, payments from the sanctioned Hormuz Safe Marine Services Authority have been flowing through the platform. The US side believes the funds went to Iranian state structures. For the market, the signal is simple: sanctions pressure is now hitting not only banks, but also crypto infrastructure.

That is why such news is read closely. It shows that large BTC transfers can become part of a political conflict. And that affects not only Iran.

What does Operation Economic Outcast mean?

a major exchange and Pishtaz Simorgh fell under Executive Order No. 13902. The US uses it for Iran’s digital asset sector as well. Operation Economic Outcast, announced on 24 August 2026, already included 60 organizations, individuals, and vessels.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said it plainly: attempts to finance Iran through cryptocurrencies will not escape OFAC. This is not just a tough statement. Assets in the US are subject to sanctions, and companies with a 50% stake or more from such persons are also at risk.

“Today’s sanctions on Iran’s digital asset infrastructure make it clear that attempts to finance Iran using cryptocurrencies are not beyond OFAC’s reach,” Scott Bessent said.

For exchanges, this means one thing. Compliance is becoming stricter. Partners and payment chains will now be checked even more carefully. That is where the market reaction begins.

Market reaction

As of 18 September 2026, BTC was trading around $80,898. Over the day it gained 5.49%, and the intraday range was $76,205–$81,176. Against this backdrop, the “hundreds of millions” in the sanctions story look like large flows, but not a shock for Bitcoin itself.

Still, for regulators the scale matters. If you take a rough estimate, $100 million is about 1,236 BTC, and $500 million is about 6,181 BTC. Volumes like that no longer look like small transfers between wallets.

Another signal should be added here. On 15 September, the US Department of Justice asked to seize about $61 million in cryptocurrency linked to the sale of Iranian oil. Pressure is coming from several sides at once.

• OFAC added a major exchange and a software developer to the sanctions list.

• The US says the BTC transfers were worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

• The period mentioned by OFAC is June and July 2026.

• Operation Economic Outcast started on 24 August 2026.

• It already includes 60 organizations, individuals, and vessels.

That is why the market reads such news not as a story about one exchange. It is part of a broader fight against sanctions-related flows. And it is already affecting everyone who works with large transfers.

What does this mean for investors?

For an ordinary BTC holder, the main takeaway is simple: sanctions news does not always hit the price immediately, but it increases attention to the origin of funds. If an exchange or service falls into the sanctions field, transfers can become a problem very quickly.

For traders, it is also a liquidity issue. When the US pressures channels linked to Iran, part of the volume may shift to other jurisdictions or become less visible. This is not always reflected in the BTC price, but it is clearly visible in checks and blocks.

There is also a practical Ukrainian angle. If a person stores cryptocurrency for transfer or exchange, it is important not to mix clean and questionable sources. Sanctions stories show that major platforms are paying closer attention to transaction history. That is why a transparent path for funds matters.

By the way, if you need to quickly sell Bitcoin for Monobank, it is better to do it through a clear route without unnecessary risks or confusion.

Frequently asked questions

Why did the US impose sanctions on a major exchange?

OFAC says a major exchange was used to transfer Bitcoin in favor of the IRGC. The US Treasury says the amount was in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The case also involves Babak Zanjani, Pishtaz Simorgh, and three other related individuals.

Will this affect the price of Bitcoin?

There is no direct price shock in the data. As of 18 September 2026, BTC was already trading around $80,898 and even rose 5.49% over the day. But sanctions may increase scrutiny of large transfers and exchanges.

What is Operation Economic Outcast?

It is a US Treasury campaign announced on 24 August 2026. At that time, OFAC expanded pressure on Iran-linked structures and added 60 organizations, individuals, and vessels to the list. Crypto channels are now also under scrutiny.

The story of a major exchange shows a simple thing: cryptocurrency has long become part of sanctions policy. Anyone working with BTC or USDT should not ignore the origin of funds and the platform’s rules.

This material is not financial advice. Cryptocurrency trading involves significant risks. Part of this text was prepared with the help of artificial intelligence based on public sources and reviewed by our editorial team.