Iran tightens crypto exchange hours after Nobitex cyberattack
Date: 2025-06-19 Author: Henry Casey Categories: IN WORLD
In response to the hack of Iran's largest crypto exchange Nobitex, which resulted in the theft of more than $90 million in various cryptocurrencies, the Central Bank of Iran has imposed temporary restrictions on the operating hours of all local crypto platforms. This was reported by the American analytical company Chainalysis. The stolen assets included Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Toncoin (TON), and Dogecoin (DOGE). The hack is attributed to the pro-Israeli hacker group Gonjeshke Darande ("Predatory Sparrow"), which stated that its actions were politically motivated.
Chainalysis analysts found that the stolen funds were transferred to "one-time" wallets that cannot be accessed again. This indicates that the attack was not aimed at making a profit, but was not systemic. Experts believe that this incident was a serious blow to the crypto infrastructure of Iran, where Nobitex occupies a dominant position - the volume of transactions on this platform exceeds $ 11 billion, which is more than all ten other Iranian exchanges combined.
In addition, according to Chainalysis, Nobitex serves not only ordinary traders, but also clients who use the platform to bypass international sanctions. The report also mentions Nobitex's connections to transactions in favor of organizations associated with Hamas, the Houthis, and Russian exchanges Bitpapa and Garantex.
Chainalysis provides government agencies with tools for monitoring blockchain transactions and has been tracking crypto wallets that have fallen under sanctions since March 2022. The company's main income comes from contracts with government agencies, especially in the United States. Many major crypto exchanges and anti-money laundering (AML) services use Chainalysis solutions to assess the origin of customers' crypto assets, which helps identify dubious transactions.
The Nobitex hack and subsequent restrictions therefore highlight the complex security situation in the crypto market in Iran and the authorities' efforts to control the sector in the face of international pressure.
