The United States has frozen more than $130 million in cryptocurrency held in wallets linked to the Central Bank of Iran, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The action adds to a broader U.S. campaign targeting Iran’s use of digital assets and other financial channels.In a July 14 post on X, Bessent said the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned multiple wallets tied to Iran’s central bank. The sanctions resulted in more than $130 million being frozen.

.@USTreasury is committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets.  Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned multiple wallets tied to the Central Bank of Iran, resulting in the freeze of over $130…

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) July 14, 2026

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Four Tron wallets held about $131 million

On-chain investigator Specter identified four wallets on the Tron network holding a combined total of roughly $131 million in USDT. Reports based on the analysis said Tether had frozen the addresses, preventing the stablecoins from being transferred.

Bessent did not identify the individual addresses in his statement. He said Treasury remained “committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets.” He added that authorities would continue to “follow the money” and restrict access to funds that Washington links to Iranian government revenue networks.

Freeze follows earlier $344 million USDT action

The latest move follows a much larger enforcement action in April.As previously reported, Tether froze about $344 million in USDT across two Tron wallets after U.S. authorities linked the addresses to Iranian networks. One wallet held about $213 million, while another contained roughly $131 million.

Blockchain analysis at the time found transaction patterns associated with wallets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and intermediaries connected to the Central Bank of Iran. The funds were blocked through controls built into the USDT token rather than through changes to the Tron blockchain itself.

Treasury expands pressure on Iran’s crypto networks

The United States has increased its focus on Iran’s digital asset infrastructure during 2026. In June, Treasury sanctioned four Iranian crypto exchanges, including Nobitex, which the department said handled more than half of Iranian digital asset inflows during 2025.

As reported, Bessent also said in May that U.S. actions had seized or frozen nearly $1 billion in Iran-linked cryptocurrency. Earlier figures had placed the total near $500 million after the April USDT action.

The Treasury has described the campaign as part of Operation Economic Fury, which targets crypto exchanges, wallets and traditional financial networks that U.S. officials accuse of supporting sanctions evasion and Iranian military financing. Treasury actions have also targeted overseas companies accused of helping move proceeds from Iranian oil sales through cryptocurrency and front companies.

Crypto freeze comes as US-Iran tensions rise

The new wallet action comes during renewed military tensions between Washington and Tehran. U.S. Central Command confirmed fresh strikes against Iranian military targets and the resumption of a blockade of Iranian ports this week after a June pause in hostilities began to break down.

The latest freeze also shows the enforcement role centralized stablecoins can play. Unlike Bitcoin, USDT contains issuer-level controls that can prevent sanctioned addresses from moving tokens. Tether has used those controls in several law enforcement actions, including the April Iran-linked freeze and a July action involving wallets sanctioned over alleged ISIS-K financing.

For the latest $131 million action, Treasury has confirmed that the wallets were tied to the Central Bank of Iran and that the funds were frozen. Public statements have not disclosed how the assets were originally obtained or how authorities determined the intended use of the funds.

Binance is looking beyond cryptocurrency trading as it works to build a broader financial “super app” centered on payments, stablecoins and investment products.

Shunyet Jan, the exchange’s head of spot trading and derivatives, outlined the strategy as Binance marked its ninth anniversary.

In an interview with CoinDesk, Jan said trading remains central to Binance but no longer defines the full market available to the company. “We’re trying to not just be a crypto exchange, but be a super app that involves payment,” he said.

Binance “Super App” Strategy: Expanding Beyond Trading into Payments and Financial Services

Shunyet Jan, Head of Spot Trading and Derivatives at Binance, told CoinDesk that the exchange is seeking to transform into a “super app” integrating payments and a broader range of… pic.twitter.com/BMOWMtsH4r

— Wu Blockchain (@WuBlockchain) July 15, 2026

Stablecoins push Binance deeper into payments

Jan linked the strategy to growing stablecoin use for payments and transfers. Stablecoins have expanded beyond their original role as trading assets, giving exchanges a way to serve users who need cross-border payments, spending tools and access to dollar-based digital assets.

“If you think of us as a payment provider, then that number becomes much bigger,” Jan said. Binance Research has also identified payments as a major path for crypto super apps. Its April report said Binance Pay had reached more than 21 million merchants and connected with local payment systems such as Brazil’s Pix.

Binance has also expanded its card services. As previously reported, the exchange launched a Mastercard-linked crypto card in selected CIS markets in February, allowing eligible users to spend Bitcoin, Ether, stablecoins and other supported assets through automatic conversion at checkout.

Binance adds stocks to its financial ecosystem

The exchange has spent 2026 adding products outside traditional crypto markets. Binance said in its ninth-anniversary update that it now wants users to move between digital assets, stablecoins, public markets, payments and onchain services from one platform.

However,  Binance opened access to more than 7,000 US stocks and ETFs for eligible users outside the United States in June. Users can buy fractional shares using assets including USDT and USDC, connecting stablecoin balances directly with traditional investments.

Binance said direct stock positions reached $1 billion in assets within about 30 days, with close to $3 billion in cumulative trading volume. More than 73% of first-month trading volume came from emerging markets, according to the exchange.

Tokenized equities add an onchain layer

Binance has also launched bStocks, which convert supported US equity exposure into blockchain-based assets. The initial lineup included tokenized versions of Nvidia, Tesla, Circle, Micron and Sandisk.

The products can trade around the clock and move to supported self-custody wallets. Binance says eligible users can also use them in supported decentralized finance applications. The company reported that bStocks passed $100 million in assets within 15 days, while 47% of trading volume occurred outside normal US market hours.

Emerging markets form a key part of the strategy

Jan said demand for Binance’s broader financial services is particularly strong in emerging economies, where access to foreign investments and traditional banking services can remain limited. The company sees its existing crypto infrastructure as a way to connect those users with more payment and investment products.

Binance Research previously estimated that crypto exchanges could bring nearly 300 million new investors and about $2 trillion into global equity markets by 2031. As per report, stablecoin settlement could help exchanges serve investors who face high costs or limited access to overseas markets.

Binance is not alone in pursuing the model. Coinbase has also outlined a financial super app strategy combining trading, lending, payments and other services. Binance’s approach now centers on linking its large trading business with stablecoin payments, traditional assets and onchain products within one platform.

Three Democratic senators have opposed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act unless lawmakers add stronger ethics rules covering senior officials and their families.

Senators Chris Murphy, Jeff Merkley and Chris Van Hollen raised their objections during a July 14 press conference organized with Americans for Financial Reform and Indivisible.

The lawmakers tied their opposition to President Donald Trump’s crypto businesses, including his memecoin and the World Liberty Financial project. Murphy claimed Trump earned $1.4 billion from crypto in 2025. Trump has rejected claims of wrongdoing involving his digital asset interests.

Senators demand conflict-of-interest protections

Murphy said Congress should not create a new crypto framework without rules that prevent officials from profiting from the industry they regulate. He said, “There is no reason to pass a new regulatory system for crypto if this system does not stop Trump’s corruption.”

Merkley called for restrictions covering the president, vice president, Cabinet officials, members of Congress and their families. Van Hollen also argued that the bill needs stronger consumer, anti-crime and conflict-of-interest provisions before he can support it.

The lawmakers did not reject digital asset regulation as a general goal. Their position centers on whether the final Senate text includes enforceable ethics language. Senator Elizabeth Warren has made a similar demand, calling for restrictions on crypto profits involving senior government officials.

Thune commits to vote before August recess

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Bloomberg Government that the chamber will vote on the CLARITY Act during the current work period. He said leaders had not fixed the exact date and added that Democratic support remains the main question.

The press conference organizers listed July 20 as the expected vote date. However, Thune only committed to action before the recess and said the exact timing remained undecided.

The Senate’s official calendar starts its state work period on Aug. 10, leaving Aug. 7 as the final scheduled session day before the break. As of July 15, the public Senate floor schedule did not list a CLARITY Act vote, leaving the reported timing still subject to change.

The bill needs 60 votes, so Republicans cannot pass it without Democratic support. The House approved the CLARITY Act in July 2025 by a 294-134 vote. The measure would divide digital asset oversight between the SEC and CFTC while setting registration and custody rules for crypto firms.

Ethics dispute adds to unresolved policy fights

As previously reported, ethics rules are one of three disputes shaping the Senate negotiations. Lawmakers also remain divided over protections for non-custodial developers and whether crypto platforms may offer rewards tied to stablecoin balances.

The ethics debate has gained urgency as senators prepare a combined draft from the Banking and Agriculture committees. Supporters want a durable federal framework, while opponents say the bill should not move without clear limits on financial conflicts involving public officials.

Bill also gains law enforcement support

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association have backed the bill. FLEOA also requested tighter DeFi accountability rules and language preserving federal investigative powers.

As reported by crypto.news, the two endorsements give supporters added backing before the Senate vote. However, the ethics opposition shows that the bill still lacks the bipartisan coalition needed for passage. The final wording and vote date remain unsettled.

The European Central Bank is moving the digital euro from planning into testing, with dozens of payment companies joining the next stage of the project.

The ECB selected 36 payment service providers (PSPs) to participate in a digital euro pilot, according to an official announcement published Tuesday.

The list of selected PSPs includes fintechs Stripe and Revolut alongside traditional banks including Deutsche Bank, UniCredit and BPCE. Revolut has recently adjusted some cryptocurrency services for EU users by phasing out support for Tether USDt.

The pilot comes as governments take different approaches to digital currencies. While Europe is expanding testing of its proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC), the US has moved to block the Federal Reserve from issuing a CBDC.

Italy tops list of digital euro pilot providers

The ECB began selecting providers from across the euro area for its digital euro pilot earlier this year, with the 12-month trial set to begin in the second half of 2027.

The central bank said it received more than 50 applications from payment companies after opening a call for interest in March 2026. The selected participants include traditional banks, payment processors and non-bank service providers.

Source: ECB

Italy has the largest number of selected participants, with seven companies joining the pilot, including UniCredit, Poste Italiane, Nexi Payments, Banca Sella, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, Isybank and Numia.

Germany follows with five selected providers, while Portugal and Greece each have three. The ECB said the mix of countries is designed to create a broad testing environment, with selected providers able to offer pilot services outside their home markets.

Strong interest in digital euro pilot

ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone, who chairs the high-level task force on a digital euro, said the level of participation shows private-sector interest in helping develop it, adding that the Central Bank expects deeper cooperation with payment providers during the pilot.

“We look forward to deeper engagement as we work with and learn alongside European payment service providers in developing a secure, efficient and inclusive digital euro,” Cipollone said.

Related: South Korea to test tokenized government bonds with CBDC in 2027

The pilot will involve the ECB and the central banks of 19 bloc-members, including Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, alongside payment companies and merchants testing the system before any potential token issuance.

Selected providers will have different responsibilities during the trial, with some focused on supporting user access to beta digital euro services and others helping merchants accept payments. Several companies will take on both roles, the ECB said.

Magazine: The 5 types of real world assets being tokenized fastest onchain

Reed Smith has launched an automated MiCA compliance platform as crypto firms across the European Union have entered full regulatory supervision following the end of the bloc’s transition period.

According to global law firm Reed Smith, the new platform, called Aquarius, automates key compliance tasks under the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation, including crypto-asset classification, regulatory white paper generation, due diligence and environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosures.

Designed for companies entering the European market or expanding existing crypto services, the platform combines automated compliance workflows with legal support to simplify MiCA requirements. Reed Smith said future versions will also support crypto compliance regimes in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

The launch comes shortly after the European Union’s MiCA transition period ended on July 1, when crypto companies could no longer rely on temporary national exemptions in member states that adopted the full grandfathering period. The framework now requires crypto-asset service providers to meet common licensing, consumer protection, and operational standards across all 27 EU member states.

Reed Smith has continued expanding its digital asset practice through its “On Chain” initiative. The firm acted as legal counsel to the placement agents in Trump Media’s $2.5 billion Bitcoin treasury financing and also advised Nakamoto Holdings on its merger with KindlyMD to establish a Bitcoin treasury company.

Focus moves from licensing to supervision

Recent regulatory activity indicates that European authorities are now concentrating on how licensed firms operate after receiving approval.

Last week, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) began a Common Supervisory Action covering selected MiCA-authorized crypto-asset service providers. According to ESMA, the review examines custody operations, including private key management, transaction controls, incident response procedures and reliance on third-party technology providers.

Sebastien Dessimoz, co-founder and managing partner of digital asset infrastructure provider Taurus, previously said obtaining a MiCA licence is only the starting point for custodians because regulators now expect firms to demonstrate that their operational controls can withstand real-world risks. He added that supervision increasingly focuses on cybersecurity, governance and protection of client assets rather than licensing alone.

Institutional expectations have also increased. Jody Mettler, chief operating officer of BitGo and president of BitGo Trust, previously said clients are paying closer attention to how custodians segregate customer assets, control access, respond to security incidents and maintain business continuity during periods of market stress.

Meanwhile, European policymakers continue discussing possible changes to MiCA after its rollout. According to a Euronews report, officials are considering future revisions to stablecoin rules, including the treatment of non-euro-denominated stablecoins, following the passage of the United States’ GENIUS Act.

The European Parliament has also asked the European Commission to examine whether decentralized finance, staking, crypto lending and borrowing, non-fungible tokens and tokenized financial assets should receive more specific treatment under the EU’s crypto framework. Parliament’s position does not change the law but provides political support for further reviews, while any expansion of MiCA would still require separate legislative proposals.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the US government ordered the freezing of more than $130 million in cryptocurrency held in wallets linked to Iran on Tuesday, as hostilities ramped up in the Middle East. 

Earlier on Tuesday, blockchain investigator Specter pointed to onchain data showing Tether froze four Tron wallets holding $131 million worth of USDt (USDT). Bessent confirmed on X that the wallets were tied to the Central Bank of Iran. 

“US Treasury is committed to disrupting and degrading Iran’s illicit financial activities, including its abuse of digital assets,” Bessent said Tuesday. “We will continue to aggressively follow the money and deny the Iranian regime access to the proceeds of its illicit revenue schemes.”

The asset freeze comes amid a collapse in the ceasefire between the US and Iran. The US said it has renewed its blockade of Iranian ports, while the US military’s Central Command announced a new wave of strikes on Iran. Meanwhile, Iran’s military claimed on Tuesday that it carried out drone strikes against US military facilities at Jordan’s Al Azraq Air Base. 

Source: Scott Bessent

The move follows a similar freeze in April, when stablecoin issuer Tether confirmed it had frozen more than $344 million in USDT at the request of US authorities. 

In May, Bessent said the US has seized around $1 billion in Iranian crypto assets as part of the US financial pressure campaign against Iran known as Operation Economic Fury, which launched in March 2025. 

Related: Iran-linked entities moved $3.8B through CoinEx, TRM says 

“Through Economic Fury, the Treasury Department is disrupting the foreign procurement networks that support the Iranian military’s efforts to acquire weapons,” Bessent said in a statement in June.  

“Treasury has frozen the Iranian regime’s assets, severely disrupted its economy, and dismantled the Iranian war machine. Treasury will not tolerate any support of the Iranian military.” 

Magazine: Thai scammer’s $122M wallet, Japan embraces crypto credit: Asia Express

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