Hackers infiltrated Nobitex, Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, stealing over $90 million in digital assets, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. Nobitex verified "unauthorized access" and suspended its website and app for investigation. Gonjeshke Darande ("Predatory Sparrow"), a pro-Israel group, claimed responsibility for the hack and put the whole source code of the exchange online, warning that other assets were vulnerable.
According to blockchain analytics firms, the hackers were not motivated by financial gain. Instead, they moved the stolen funds to "burner" wallets. They effectively destroyed the assets as a political statement against Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The attack coincided with renewed conflict between Israel and Iran, intensifying regional cyber warfare.
Gonjeshke Darande accused Nobitex of assisting Iran's government to circumvent Western sanctions and fund extremist groups. US politicians have already expressed worry about Iran's use of cryptocurrency to avoid sanctions. The breach shows the growing relevance of digital assets in geopolitical conflicts, as well as the vulnerability of crypto infrastructure in sanctioned governments.
