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Topic

Crypto Sanctions Compliance

Practices crypto exchanges and platforms use to screen transactions and counterparties against sanctions lists like OFAC and EU designations.

Current stories

investConfirmed6 publishers

Treasury sanctions the company that built BitBank's exchange software

OFAC's Sept. 17 action covers the Tehran exchange, its developer Pishtaz Simorgh and three Dot One executives, over hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin that Treasury says moved to the IRGC in June and July.

Perspective Coverage

6 publishers
Builder
Builder 18%
Operator
Operator 52%
Investor
Investor 30%

Reality

Evidence55
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+20
Incentives60
Confidence60
investConfirmed2 publishers

OFAC puts two French charities on the screening lists of US crypto exchanges over Hamas funding

OFAC sanctioned two French charities and three individuals on Oct. 2, alleging hundreds of thousands of dollars in crypto went to a Hamas commander in Gaza. Exchanges and payment firms under US rules must now screen for the five and block any of their assets that reach them.

Reality

Evidence55
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+15
Incentives
Not scored
Confidence62
investConfirmed3 publishers

USDT's return to Bitcoin shifts sanctions enforcement to exchanges and bridges

Tether-backed Utexo plans to issue USDT on Bitcoin and police the nearly $190 billion stablecoin there with a coin blacklist in place of address freezes. Utexo cannot freeze those coins, so a block holds only where exchanges and bridges check the list.

Perspective Coverage

3 publishers
Builder
Builder 40%
Operator
Operator 27%
Investor
Investor 33%

Reality

Evidence55
Adoption8
Hype gap+35
Incentives70
Confidence50
investOne report1 publisher

HTX dust or not, the sanctions tag makes inbound USDT the recipient's problem

Justin Sun says the reports are fabricated. Either way, the screening cost of a 7.5 USDT deposit from an HTX-tagged wallet lands on whoever receives it.

Reality

Evidence30
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+30
Incentives60
Confidence35
securityConfirmed6 publishers

Five new Iran determinations widen the sanctions perimeter to eight lines of business

Operation Economic Outcast names nearly 60 targets, but the durable change is the standing authority to designate foreign firms in crypto, technology, gold, aviation and shipping.

Perspective Coverage

6 publishers
Builder
Builder 15%
Operator
Operator 52%
Investor
Investor 33%

Reality

Evidence70
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+40
Incentives60
Confidence65
investConfirmed3 publishers

Binance's 97.3% Iran cleanup figure starts from a $4.19 million base

Manhattan prosecutors are examining whether Binance knowingly allowed trading that breached US sanctions on Iran, and the compliance numbers the exchange offers in response cover four named venues and about $4 million of flow.

Perspective Coverage

3 publishers
Builder
Builder 5%
Operator
Operator 45%
Investor
Investor 50%

Reality

Evidence55
Adoption
Not scored
Hype gap+40
Incentives70
Confidence60
investOne report1 publisher

A 2022 oracle hack starts moving again, three days after Pando shut its books

The Pando Rings exploiter swapped 3 million DAI for about 1,570 ETH on CoW Protocol, then pushed 800 ETH into Tornado Cash as the protocol entered maintenance mode.

Reality

Evidence42
Adoption48
Hype gap+14
Incentives58
Confidence40
investOne report1 publisher

The $700 case: Binance's real jurisdictional risk is its subpoena desk, not its vault

Reuters says Binance helped Russia build a case over a $700 Ukraine donation. For users of centralized venues, the exposure that matters is data-sharing policy, not custody.

Reality

Evidence34
Adoption61
Hype gap+18
Incentives64
Confidence42