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Alex Thorn, Head of Research at Galaxy Digital, stated that the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list—the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) List—has historically included 518 Bitcoin addresses, which collectively received 249,814 BTC and sent 239,708 BTC, leaving a current net balance of approximately 9,306 BTC—valued at roughly $707 million at current market prices. Thorn also noted that OFAC sanctions represent only one of several U.S. tools for intercepting illicit assets, and the CLARITY Act would further expand the Treasury Department’s related authorities.
According to CoinDesk, cryptocurrency exchange Kraken was extorted by a criminal group that threatened to publicly release videos of its internal systems. Kraken stated that it had previously identified and addressed two incidents involving unauthorized access by internal personnel, affecting limited customer data from approximately 2,000 accounts—0.02% of its total user base—but emphasized that its systems were never breached and customer funds remained secure at all times. Nick Percoco, Kraken’s Chief Security Officer, explicitly affirmed the company would not capitulate to criminals. Kraken has notified affected users, enhanced security controls, and is cooperating with law enforcement authorities to advance the investigation; it believes existing evidence is sufficient to identify and apprehend those responsible. Separately, Galaxy Digital recently experienced a similar cybersecurity incident, though it likewise resulted in no loss of customer funds or data.