5 Reasons Why OFAC’s $344 Million USDT Freeze May Not Be Iran-Linked, Expert Reveals

Blockchain intelligence firm Nominis has identified five anomalies in the OFAC-sanctioned wallets holding $344 million in USDT, suggesting the freeze may not be linked to Iran. CEO Snir Levi's analysis indicates patterns consistent with Chinese state-linked infrastructure rather than the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These anomalies include wallets accumulating funds and then becoming dormant, unlike typical IRGC patterns of keeping funds in motion. The seized wallets also maintained concentrated, sustained balances over long periods, contrasting with IRGC clusters that spread funds across many wallets with lower individual balances. Furthermore, direct transfers to Huobi (now HTX) and Huione Group infrastructure, along with operational timing aligned with Asian markets, point towards Chinese exchange behavior. One HTX deposit address received funds from wallets tied to Iran's Central Bank, but the trading cycles aligned with Asia. Finally, interactions with Bitfinex-linked addresses and an overlap with a 2025 scam-related flow suggest potential indirect exposure of retail users to sanctioned infrastructure. These findings emerge amidst Operation Epic Fury, where the U.S. has seized significant Iranian crypto assets.

(Source：BeInCrypto)