US seizes $61M of Iranian crypto profits allegedly laundered through Binance

The US is seizing $61 million worth of cryptocurrency linked to a scheme that allegedly laundered funds through Binance to facilitate the black-market sale of Iranian oil.

A civil forfeiture complaint filed yesterday claims that the selling of Iranian crude oil has generated over $1.5 billion in illicit crypto proceeds and helps the country fund its nuclear program and military. 

As such, the US wants to deprive Iran of these profits and weaken its power. 

Two Chinese companies, Blessed Trust and Hexa Whale, were allegedly central to transferring and managing the funds in question. 

They apparently used Binance to launder the proceeds and distribute them to Iran’s government and other linked proxies.

The civil forfeiture complaint doesn’t target Binance with any alleged wrongdoing.

Binance wasn’t happy with reporting on links to Iran

The alleged links between Iran and the two Chinese companies were revealed by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Fortune, and the New York Times in February this year. 

In May, the WSJ reported that Iran-linked funds were continuing to move through Binance in 2026.

Read more: US sanctions firms behind Iran’s Strait of Hormuz BTC insurance scheme

The report also highlighted a major Iranian financier who used Binance to move $850 million worth of transactions in 2024 and 2025.

Binance has repeatedly called these reports inaccurate. It filed a lawsuit against the WSJ in the same month that the Department of Justice launched a probe into the transfers on the exchange. 

These reports have led to US senators questioning whether Binance has lied before Congress, and whether it’s avoiding money laundering recommendations.

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