US Treasury Sanctions Two Iran-Linked Crypto Exchanges, Shelbit and Aban Tether

The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned two digital asset exchanges used by Tehran, Shelbit and Aban Tether, on Friday, August 7, 2026 (16 Mordad 1405), along with Siavash Kayvanpour, described as the ringleader of a multi-jurisdiction network of front companies. According to the Treasury's official statement, the action targets billion-dollar laundering networks that maintained Iran's covert access to the international financial system and supported the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The Treasury said digital currency addresses belonging to the IRGC sent more than $1 million in digital assets to Shelbit exchange addresses, while more than $2 million flowed from Shelbit addresses to IRGC wallets. Aban Tether has processed millions of dollars in transactions involving sanctioned Iranian exchanges, including Nobitex, Wallex, Bitpin and Ramzinex. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, "Whether in dollars, rials, or crypto, Treasury will hunt down and dismantle the illicit financial networks that keep the regime afloat."