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Japan

2026-10-04 05:56:30

Japan adds Garantex to asset-freeze sanctions list in new Russia measures

Japan announced a new round of sanctions on Russia on Oct. 2, adding 33 entities and nine individuals to its asset-freeze list. The newly designated targets include Russian cryptocurrency exchange Garantex. The measures also restrict payments to, and capital transactions with, the sanctioned parties. Garantex had already been sanctioned by the United States, the European Union and other jurisdictions over allegations that it helped related Russian entities evade financial sanctions. The update was reported by Techub News, citing the Japanese government’s announcement.

Japan

2026-10-04 05:36:46

Japan adds Russia sanctions, including a group tied to crypto-based sanctions evasion

Japan has decided at a cabinet meeting to impose additional sanctions on Russia, according to a report by Nikkei cited by Cankao Xiaoxi and relayed by ChainCatcher. The new measures target 35 vessels in Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which has been used to secretly transport crude oil to avoid Western sanctions. Under the decision, Japan will in principle ban the provision of operational support, maintenance, insurance and financing services to those ships. Separately, the Japanese government added 33 Russian military-related organizations and nine individuals to a new asset-freeze list. The list includes a group accused of using crypto assets, or virtual currencies, to evade financial sanctions. The move places crypto within a broader sanctions-enforcement framework rather than as a standalone policy step, based on the details provided in the report.

ZachXBT

2026-10-02 13:07:59

ZachXBT questions whether UPay enabled Xinbi-branded Visa crypto cards

On Oct. 2, on-chain investigator ZachXBT said he suspects UPay may have allowed Xinbi, a sanctioned illicit marketplace, to use its Visa crypto card through a white-label arrangement. He called on UPay to respond to the allegation. ZachXBT also said Xinbi is mainly associated with pig-butchering schemes, fraud, money laundering, and human trafficking. The statement did not include a response from UPay. The claim, as presented in the source material, reflects ZachXBT’s public allegation and request for clarification rather than a confirmed finding by UPay or Visa.

U.S. Treasury

2026-10-02 11:28:41

U.S. designates Russia-linked A7 Network as transnational criminal organization, targets crypto and fiat flows

The U.S. Treasury has escalated action against the A7 Network, a Russia-linked shadow banking operation that officials say was used by Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to evade sanctions. The Office of Foreign Assets Control designated the network a significant transnational criminal organization, while the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network proposed a rule that would block transfers involving the network’s so-called Sub-Agents. Treasury said the measure would reach both fiat and crypto activity. According to FinCEN, the network relies on A7A5, a ruble-backed token issued by Kyrgyzstan-registered Old Vector and active on Tron and Ethereum, alongside a sprawling web of companies and bank accounts that make sanctioned payments appear to be ordinary trade. The agency said more than 180 entities processed at least $179.1 billion in A7A5 from February 2025 to June 2026, while the network’s fiat side moved more than $17 billion through accounts at about 435 financial institutions across at least 83 countries. Treasury also linked parts of the network to Iran’s shadow tanker fleet, the sanctioned Iranian exchange Nobitex, and laundering tied to North Korean exchange hacks. The proposed rule would affect roughly 348,000 institutions, including crypto exchanges, and the public comment period will close 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

U.S. Treasury

2026-10-01 17:53:39

U.S. Treasury sanctions A7 Network as FinCEN moves to block related transactions

The U.S. Treasury Department said it has taken action against A7 Network, describing the move as unprecedented. Treasury accused A7 Network of operating as a Russia-linked shadow banking network and said the Iranian regime used it to evade sanctions. The department also designated the network as a significant transnational criminal organization. At the same time, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, proposed a rule that would prohibit transactions involving sub-agents tied to A7 Network. FinCEN also issued an alert aimed at helping financial institutions identify and report suspicious activity connected to the network. The update was posted by the U.S. Treasury account @USTreasury.

United States

2026-10-01 16:37:29

U.S. announces new Iran-related sanctions

The United States has issued a new round of Iran-related sanctions, according to information published on the U.S. Treasury Department’s website and cited by BlockBeats on Oct. 2. The announcement said the latest measures target Iranian railway and automotive corporate groups. The stated aim of the sanctions is to economically isolate Iran. No additional details were provided in the brief notice included in the source material. The update was published by BlockBeats as a short news alert under the policy and regulation category.

OFAC

2026-09-30 21:30:57

OFAC sanctions Tren de Aragua-linked ATM network and lists seven Tron addresses

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, has sanctioned an ATM network tied to Tren de Aragua and identified seven Tron addresses as part of the action. According to the information cited by TheDefiant, blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis said the wallets’ counterparties had exposure to laundering networks used by Mexican and Colombian cartels as well as Venezuelan launderers. The available source material does not provide transaction volumes, wallet balances, or additional operational details about the addresses. The action places a crypto element inside a broader sanctions move, with Tron addresses specifically named in the listing. Based on the source text provided, the report is limited to the sanctions designation, the number of addresses listed, and Chainalysis’ description of the wallets’ counterparty exposure.

OFAC

2026-09-30 21:35:41

OFAC sanctions ATM network tied to Tren de Aragua and blacklists seven Tron addresses

The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, has imposed sanctions on an ATM network linked to Tren de Aragua and added seven Tron addresses to its sanctions list, according to ChainCatcher. Chainalysis said counterparties linked to those wallets had interacted with laundering networks used by drug trafficking groups in Mexico and Colombia, as well as money launderers in Venezuela. The update connects the sanctioned wallets to a wider network that blockchain investigators say has touched multiple illicit actors across the region. No additional transaction figures or wallet details were disclosed in the source provided.