Central Bank of Iran
Iran's central bank; SDN-listed; two TRON blockchain wallets added 24 April 2026.
Last refreshed: 25 April 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
Why is Iran's central bank using TRON wallets, and can OFAC actually block a blockchain?
Timeline for Central Bank of Iran
TRON wallets attach to Central Bank of Iran
Iran Conflict 2026Maintained official rate at 492 CUP, 38 pesos below informal rate
Cuba Dispatch: CADECA reform fails as informal USD hits 530- Why did OFAC add blockchain wallets to the Central Bank of Iran?
- On 24 April 2026, OFAC updated the Central Bank of Iran's SDN entry to add two TRON blockchain wallet addresses — the first time blockchain identifiers were attached to an Iranian state institution in the 2026 conflict. The wallet additions indicate the CBI or entities acting on its behalf have been using TRON-based USDT to move funds outside the traditional banking system.Source: OFAC SDN update, 24 April 2026
- How long has the Central Bank of Iran been under US sanctions?
- The Central Bank of Iran has been on the US Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals list since 2019. It has been progressively cut off from SWIFT and dollar-clearing networks since 2012, pushing Iran's state finance towards gold, barter, and more recently Cryptocurrency.Source: US Treasury SDN list
- Is it illegal to send money to the Central Bank of Iran's TRON wallets?
- Yes. Any entity sending funds to the two TRON wallet addresses listed in the Central Bank of Iran's SDN entry faces potential OFAC enforcement action, regardless of jurisdiction. The designation extends US sanctions reach directly into decentralised finance infrastructure.Source: OFAC SDN update, 24 April 2026
- Why is Iran using cryptocurrency to move money?
- Decades of US sanctions have cut Iran's state institutions off from SWIFT and traditional dollar-clearing networks. Cryptocurrency, particularly USDT transferred on the TRON network, provides a pseudonymous peer-to-peer settlement rail that bypasses bank intermediaries, making it attractive as a state-level workaround.Source: OFAC SDN update, 24 April 2026
Background
The Central Bank of Iran (CBI), known in Persian as Bank Markazi, has been on the US Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list since 2019. On 24 April 2026, OFAC updated its SDN entry to add two TRON blockchain wallet addresses — the first time blockchain wallet identifiers have been attached to an Iranian state institution during the 2026 conflict. The wallet additions indicate that the CBI or entities acting on its behalf have been using TRON-based USDT stablecoin transfers to move funds outside the traditional banking system.
The CBI governs Iran's monetary policy, manages foreign reserves, and supervises the banking sector. Under sanctions, it has been progressively cut off from SWIFT and dollar-clearing networks since 2012, pushing Iran's state finance towards gold, barter, and Cryptocurrency. The TRON wallets suggest a shift towards blockchain-based settlement at the institutional level.
The designation update extends US sanctions reach directly into decentralised finance infrastructure: any entity sending funds to the listed TRON wallets now faces potential OFAC enforcement action, regardless of jurisdiction.
