Iran Used $2 Billion in Crypto to Run Its Militant Proxies in 2025
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) transacted more than $2 billion in cryptocurrency to avoid sanctions and fuel cybercriminal operations, according to Chainalysis. The figure could be higher, given that it only accounts for sanctions designations from the US.
Iran’s situation reflects an exponential rise in illicit cryptocurrency transactions, driven by other sanctions from countries like Russia and North Korea.
Crypto crime surged to unprecedented levels in 2025. According to data compiled by Chainalysis, illicit cryptocurrency transactions increased by 162% compared to the previous year, totaling at least $154 billion.
Sanctioned jurisdictions have…
