FBI Seizes $560K in Crypto Bound for Hamas

The FBI seized $560,000 in cryptocurrency that was routed to Hamas, and it shut down several websites that were used for fundraising and recruitment. In a statement released on Tuesday, the agency said it had taken control of the digital assets, domains, and servers linked to the group’s military wing. The operation involved a complex web of blockchain transactions that moved the money from anonymous wallets to a central account used by the organization.

Hamas has been a target of U.S. sanctions since 2014, but the group has increasingly turned to crypto to raise money and avoid detection. The rise in digital donations coincided with a surge in extremist activity in the Middle East, prompting the Treasury Department to tighten rules on crypto transactions that could fund terrorism. Law‑enforcement agencies have been working to trace and seize these assets, and this latest move is part of a broader push to disrupt the financial lifelines of designated terrorist groups.

According to the FBI, the seized funds were traced to a wallet that had received more than 2,400 transfers from donors in the United States, Canada, and Europe over the past year. The agency said it will collaborate with prosecutors to dismantle the network that facilitated the donations and the recruitment of volunteers. In addition to the money, the FBI took over the websites that advertised the group’s ideology and solicited support, rendering them inoperable for the time being.

The seized domains will likely be auctioned or held for future legal action. The case illustrates that even highly anonymous cryptocurrency can be tracked and intercepted by federal investigators. It also signals to the crypto community that financial support for extremist causes carries legal risks. As the FBI continues to monitor and disrupt these digital channels, the operation underscores the growing importance of cyber‑security measures in counter‑terrorism efforts.