Reuters: Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex founder has links to the family of the Supreme Leader

ChainCatcher reports that, according to Reuters investigation, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex was founded by members of the Kharrazi family, who have close ties to Iran’s top leadership. The investigation shows that the exchange was established by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, who previously used the surname “Aghamir” to conceal their connection to the Kharrazi family, which has long-standing relationships with Iran’s political core, including historical ties to Ali Khamenei and his successors.

The report states that Nobitex currently serves over 11 million users, dominates the Iranian crypto market, and continues to operate during Iran’s conflicts with the United States and Israel, even processing transactions during nationwide internet outages. Analysts say that during wartime, its trading volume exceeded $100 million, with large amounts of funds flowing overseas.

Additionally, multiple on-chain analysis firms have indicated that the platform has handled transactions related to sanctioned entities, with estimated scales ranging from $22 million to $366 million. Other data shows that wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran transferred hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto assets to Nobitex in 2025, believed to be used to circumvent financial sanctions. Nobitex has denied any government affiliation, stating that illegal transactions account for only a small part of its overall business.