Reuters: Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, is linked to the family of Iran’s Supreme Leader

Deep Tide TechFlow message: On May 03, according to an investigation by Reuters, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, was founded by members of the Kharrazi family, who are closely connected to the highest leadership in Iran. The investigation shows that the exchange was created by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi. They previously used the surname “Aghamir” to conceal their ties to the Kharrazi family, which has long maintained close relationships with the political core of Iran, including historical links with Ali Khamenei and his successors.

The report said Nobitex currently serves more than 11 million users, holds a dominant position in Iran’s crypto market, and continues operating during conflicts between Iran and the United States and Israel, even processing transactions despite nationwide internet outages. Analysts said that during wartime, its trading volume exceeded $100 million and that large amounts of funds flowed overseas.

In addition, multiple on-chain analytics firms said the platform had processed transactions related to sanctioned entities, with estimated figures ranging from $22 million to $366 million. Other data shows that wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran transferred crypto assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Nobitex in 2025, which is believed to have been used to evade financial sanctions. Nobitex denied any connection to the government and said that illegal transactions account for only a small portion of its overall business.