Cyberattack on Iran’s Top Crypto Exchange Results in Massive Losses
Jun 18, 2025

Cyberattack on Iran’s Top Crypto Exchange Results in Massive Losses

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

On Wednesday, Nobitex, Iran’s leading cryptocurrency exchange, announced it suffered a significant security breach, with hackers draining funds from its hot wallet. In a statement posted on its website, translated by TechCrunch, Nobitex confirmed unauthorized access to its systems and hot wallet, where a portion of customer cryptocurrencies is stored. The exchange is actively investigating the incident, and its website and mobile app will remain offline until further notice. Blockchain records indicate the attackers stole at least $90 million in assets across multiple transactions. According to blockchain analysis firm Elliptic, the hackers “burned” the stolen cryptocurrency by transferring it to inaccessible wallets, effectively destroying the funds. Nobitex serves over 10 million users, per an archived version of its website from last week. The pro-Israel hacking group Predatory Sparrow, known in Farsi as “Gonjeshke Darande,” claimed responsibility for the attack. In a post on X, the group accused Nobitex of funding terrorism for the Iranian government and circumventing international sanctions. The day prior, Predatory Sparrow also claimed credit for a cyberattack on Iran’s Bank Sepah, which caused widespread ATM outages nationwide. The cyberattacks coincide with escalating military tensions between Israel and Iran, including direct attacks on each other’s cities. While the origins of Predatory Sparrow, which emerged in 2021, remain unclear, the group has a history of targeting Iranian entities with destructive cyberattacks and appears to align with Israeli interests. Iranian state media outlet IRIB reported Tuesday that Israel had initiated a large-scale cyber offensive against Iran’s digital infrastructure, aiming to disrupt critical services amid the ongoing conflict.