Singapore is urging for international cooperation to curb shadow fleet vessels operating just beyond its territorial waters, as scrutiny intensifies on ships used to evade sanctions https://t.co/1I0cWyx4ue ...

The U.S. Treasury's OFAC sanctioned UK-based crypto exchanges Zedcex and Zedxion for helping Iran evade sanctions, marking the first time OFAC has targeted digital asset exchanges for involvement in Iran’s financial sector.OFAC also designated seven Iranian individuals, including six linked to the IRGC, as well as Babak Zanjani, who was allegedly released to launder funds for the regime. Addresses tied to the case processed over $389 million.https://t.co/rTGAToAt7W ...

Core Insights - Tether's USDT has become a crucial asset for Russia to circumvent Western sanctions, with the ruble-pegged stablecoin A7A5 surpassing $100 billion in transactions [1] - A7A5 has seen significant growth in user accounts, increasing from 14,000 in July 2025 to 35,500, with total exchange volumes reaching $17.3 billion [2] - Recent sanctions from the U.S., U.K., and EU have led to a noticeable decline in A7A5 activity, with transaction volumes dropping from over $1.5 billion per day to around $500 million [4] Group 1: A7A5 Activity and Growth - A7A5 transactions have exceeded $100 billion, with 250,000 transactions recorded among 41,300 wallet addresses in less than a year [1] - The primary trading pairs for A7A5 are A7A5/rubles at $11.2 billion and A7A5/USDT at $6.1 billion, highlighting its role as a bridging asset [2] - The current circulation of A7A5 is over 42.5 billion, valued at $547 million, with no major issuances since late July 2025 [4] Group 2: Impact of Sanctions - A7A5 activity is showing signs of stalling due to sanctions targeting Russian-linked crypto infrastructure, with Western governments freezing significant Russian assets [3] - The decline in transaction volumes is attributed to the impact of U.S., U.K., and EU sanctions, which have visibly affected A7A5's market activity [4] - A7A5 is becoming increasingly isolated from the broader crypto ecosystem, as only its issuer can blacklist addresses, limiting its integration with other cryptocurrencies [7]

Core Insights - The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) has utilized at least $507 million in USDT to mitigate a currency crisis and circumvent sanctions-related restrictions on dollar access [1][2][7] - The strategy reflects a deliberate effort to establish a significant dollar-linked reserve outside the traditional banking system [3] Summary by Sections Acquisition and Usage of USDT - The CBI acquired a minimum of $507 million in USDT, with this figure being a conservative estimate based on linked wallets [2] - Investigators traced USDT purchases back to April and May 2025, revealing a broader network of wallets [2] Flow of USDT - Initially, most CBI-linked USDT transactions occurred through Nobitex, Iran's largest crypto exchange, allowing for trading and conversion to rials [4] - After June 2025, USDT flows transitioned to a cross-chain bridge, moving funds from TRON to Ethereum and dispersing them through various platforms [5] Market Impact and Strategy - The buildup of USDT reserves is attributed to the Iranian rial's significant depreciation, losing about half its value against the dollar in eight months [7] - The CBI's use of USDT for open-market operations aims to stabilize the foreign exchange market without depleting official foreign reserves [8] Regulatory Considerations - The infrastructure established by the CBI is described as a sanctions-resistant shadow banking layer, though it remains traceable on public blockchains [9] - Unlike cash transactions, USDT transfers on TRON and Ethereum leave an auditable trail that can be monitored by regulators [9]

I was born in South Korea. I read a lot and I was always drawing or painting. I really wasn't much of an outdoor kid.I'm not the girl who has ever dreamed of being part of an international spiring or whatever it is. 49-year-old Christina Chapman helped the North Korean government avoid sanctions, >> conspiring in a scheme to defraud the US, >> running what they called a laptop farm. Christina Chapman's laptop farm alone generated $17 million.>> Computers started showing up at my house. I had no clue. >> Chr ...

From Iran to China to Venezuela - how seized tanker hid true location https://t.co/FCTtOleQp0 ...

UK’s Anti-Corruption Strategy Targets Crypto Sanctions Evasion► https://t.co/FkHla89u0Y https://t.co/FkHla89u0Y ...

Sanctions Enforcement - UK operation arrests 128 individuals for suspected Russian sanctions evasion [1] - Authorities seize $32.6 million in cryptocurrency and cash related to the operation [1]

Sanctions Evasion - Leaked documents expose an $8 billion crypto web potentially facilitating Russia's sanctions evasion [1] Cryptocurrency - The crypto web is used for Russia's sanctions evasion [1]

Core Insights - The leak of internal files from companies linked to fugitive Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor reveals a crypto-powered geopolitical operation involving Russia and its allies, utilizing cryptocurrency to evade sanctions and influence Moldovan elections [1][2] Group 1: Financial Operations - A7, a network of companies allegedly controlled by Shor, is connected to at least $8 billion in stablecoin transactions over the past 18 months, indicating that cryptocurrency is a key tool for Russia's financial strategies [2] - A7 specializes in "sanctions evasion as a service," facilitating transactions for Russian entities blocked from traditional financial systems, with nearly half of A7 owned by Russia's state-owned Promsvyazbank, which is already under sanctions [3] - A7 has launched its own stablecoin, A7A5, pegged to the Russian ruble, to reduce reliance on U.S.-based stablecoins like Tether, with internal communications discussing multi-million-dollar USDT transfers to build liquidity for A7A5 [4] Group 2: Political Influence - The funds linked to A7 are associated with political infrastructure in Moldova, including a smartphone app named Taito that pays local activists and a "Callcenter" system for conducting illicit polling [5] - A Telegram bot is identified for distributing payments after basic identity checks, indicating a structured approach to influence public opinion during elections [5]