Policy Event Β· High impact

OFAC Sanctions Iranian Digital Asset Exchange BitBank And Related Parties

OFAC sanctioned Iranian digital asset exchange BitBank, its developer Pishtaz Simorgh Electronic Trade Company and three associated individuals, linking the platform to Babak Zanjani's sanctions-evasion network. Exchanges and payment firms should refresh sanctions screening, wallet attribution and Iran-related flow controls.

High impactπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ United States🌐 IRAMLEnforcementRegulationExchangeBTCOFACBitBankPishtaz Simorgh Electronic Trade CompanyBabak Zanjani

APAC FINSTAB analysis

Although this is outside core APAC, it is relevant because global market-structure, enforcement, and stablecoin precedents often shape licensing expectations for APAC exchanges, issuers, custodians, and DeFi teams. Protocols/assets in scope: BTC. Named institutions or platforms: OFAC, BitBank, Pishtaz Simorgh Electronic Trade Company, Babak Zanjani. Teams should monitor the original source, map the change to licensing, custody, disclosure, and market-access obligations, and update their jurisdiction playbooks before the next compliance review.

Compliance read-through: map this event to entity licensing, market-access, custody, disclosure, token listing, and operational-risk obligations before expanding or marketing in the affected jurisdiction.

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Related policy events

CPC Decision Targets Crypto-Enabled Corruption And Cross-Border Asset Recovery

A CPC Central Committee decision published by Xinhua calls for resolute action against corruption involving the internet, virtual currencies, cross-border funds, and blockchain, alongside stronger cross-border casework and asset recovery. The policy signal increases expectations for transaction tracing, beneficial-owner checks, and cooperation with enforcement requests at digital-asset intermediaries.

High impactπŸ‡¨πŸ‡³ ChinaRegulationAMLEnforcement