Iran Regime's Crypto Activity Topped $3 Billion as Illicit Transactions Surged in 2025: Report
Iran’s use of cryptocurrency to bypass sanctions has grown, with over $3 billion in 2025 tied to networks linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to Chainalysis. Illicit crypto addresses received at least $154 billion globally in 2025, a 162% year-over-year increase. IRGC-linked wallets accounted for over half of the value received by Iranian entities, funding regional militias, oil sales, and equipment procurement. After recent U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, $10.3 million in crypto exited Iranian exchanges. Iran’s crypto market reached $7.48 billion in 2025, with cryptocurrency flows supporting operations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. Sanctioned countries received $104 billion in crypto flows. Russia, through its stablecoin and sanctioned exchanges, also processed significant illicit volumes. Venezuela’s crypto flows hit $44.6 billion, as citizens sought stability amid hyperinflation. Informal brokers enabled swaps from sanctioned banks. North Korean hackers stole over $2 billion in crypto in 2025. Southeast Asia also saw large laundering flows, notably through the sanctioned Huione Group, which processed more than $98 billion.
