The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added the digital asset platforms Zedcex and Zedxion to its sanctions list.
Today, Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control took additional action against Iranian officials responsible for the regime’s brutal crackdown on its own people. Today’s targets include Iran’s Minister of the Interior, who oversees the entity responsible for killing thousands of…
— Treasury Department (@USTreasury) January 30, 2026
This decision regarding the UK-registered crypto exchanges is part of broader measures against Iranian officials "responsible for repressing their own people."
Among those sanctioned by OFAC are Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni Kalagari, head of the IRGC intelligence Majid Khademi, and several regional commanders of this paramilitary organization.
Also on the list is businessman Babak Monteza Zanjani, who was sentenced to death in March 2016 for embezzling $1 billion from national oil revenues. However, he was released in 2024 and began providing money laundering and financial support services to the government.
As a result, Zedcex and Zedxion, affiliated with Zanjani, were sanctioned. According to the Office, these platforms processed funds linked to the IRGC, with transactions through Zedcex exceeding $94 million.
"This is the first instance where OFAC has sanctioned digital asset exchanges for activities in the Iranian economy's financial sector," the agency stated.
Being placed on the sanctions list means that all property of the listed individuals and organizations within the U.S. is blocked. This applies to any property they own that is at least 50% theirs.
It is worth noting that the Central Bank of Iran purchased USDT worth $507 million to support the economy amid international sanctions, as revealed by Elliptic.