Fact Check: Did the US seize $1B in Iranian crypto assets as claimed by Scott Bessent?
WASHINGTON, DC: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has claimed that the United States has seized $1 billion in Iranian crypto assets, escalating its financial pressure on Tehran.
The claim came amid renewed geopolitical tensions between the US and the Islamic Republic, sparking speculation. Let us analyse the claim and fact-check its authenticity.
Claim: United States seized $1 billion of Iranian crypto assets
Speaking on Fox Business, Bessent said that Washington seized nearly $1 billion in Iranian crypto assets under Operation Economic Fury, calling it an “outright grab of wallets” as sanctions on Tehran intensify.
“We have seized about a billion dollars of their crypto,” he said, adding that some wallet holders “might not even realise their funds were already taken.”
He further claimed that the campaign has severely weakened Iran’s internal stability, leading to delayed salaries for security personnel, rising inflation, and increased reliance on food vouchers.
He stated that Washington is working with European and Gulf partners to trace and seize overseas holdings linked to Iran, including luxury real estate and financial assets allegedly tied to state-linked networks.
“We are working with allies to grab villas and properties,” he said, framing the effort as recovering “stolen money from the Iranian people.”
Fact Check: No independent confirmation to verify the claim
However, there is no independent confirmation verifying the full scale of the alleged seizures.
A search on Google and other search engines for the claim yielded no relevant results, including reports from credible news outlets.
If the claim were true, prominent outlets such as BBC, Reuters, and Fox News would likely have reported it along with supporting evidence. As the claim remains unverified by independent sources, it is marked as unconfirmed.
Operation Economic Fury targets Iran financial networks
The alleged seizure is part of Operation Economic Fury, launched in March 2025, which aims to target Iranian financial channels through asset freezes, banking restrictions, and coordinated action with international allies.
According to US estimates, Iran previously moved $400 million to $500 million per month through alternative financial routes to bypass sanctions.
Bessent claimed that US pressure has reshaped Iran’s leadership structure, describing the country's power system as divided between clerical authorities and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), complicating negotiations.
