Israel Seizes Over 180 Crypto Wallets Reportedly Tied to Iran’s IRGC
Published
- IRGC crypto wallets: Israel seized over 180 crypto wallets allegedly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
- NBCTF list: The National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing said these wallets are used directly by the IRGC.
- Estimated value: Blockchain analysis reveals that wallets currently hold approximately $1.5 million.
Israel’s Ministry of Defense has announced a significant law enforcement action, ordering the seizure of 187 cryptocurrency wallets allegedly linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The operation targets what Israeli authorities describe as a financial network used to facilitate illicit activities.
Details of the Crypto Wallet Seizure
According to an order from Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF), the 187 targeted wallets are believed to be the property of the IRGC and utilized for perpetrating severe terror crimes, of which 39 were blacklisted by Tether on September 13, according to blockchain monitoring firm Elliptic.
While the wallets currently hold approximately $1.5 million, blockchain analysis reveals a significantly larger transaction history, with an estimated $1.5 billion in Tether (USDT) having passed through them over time.
Yet, the company cannot confirm whether those wallets do indeed belong to the IRGC, as some of the addresses may be “controlled by cryptocurrency services and could be part of wallet infrastructure used to facilitate transactions for many customers.”
Alleged IRGC Connections and Regulatory Implications
This Israel crypto wallet seizure highlights ongoing international efforts to combat illicit financing through digital assets. The use of cryptocurrency for Iran sanctions evasion has been a persistent concern for global regulators.
Israeli authorities assert a direct connection between the wallets and the IRGC, although the specific methods used to establish this link have not been disclosed. Amir Rashidi, the director of digital rights and security at the Iran-focused nonprofit Miaan Group, asserts Israel may have hacked into Iran’s infrastructure.
The operation demonstrates how governments are leveraging blockchain intelligence to disrupt financial networks allegedly supporting sanctioned entities and terrorist organizations, signaling a more aggressive enforcement posture in the digital currency space.
This month, the U.S. Justice Department announced seizing approximately $585,000 in USDT from an Iranian national allegedly manufacturing navigation systems used in the IRGC military drone program. In June, a pro-Israel group stole over $90 million from the Iranian crypto exchange Nobitex.
In April, Germany’s domestic intelligence service flagged an IRGC-linked APT42 intrusion attempt that targeted a Parliament chair for Iran relations.
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