According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, data from Chainalysis and other agencies shows that sanctioned entities such as Iran, Russia, and North Korea are accelerating the use of cryptocurrency to evade U.S. and Western sanctions. Crypto addresses linked to sanctioned entities received over $100 billion in crypto assets in 2025, nearly eight times the amount in 2024. The report states that these parties are processing funds through self-created digital tokens, crypto exchanges, and multi-layered transaction structures. Western officials and analytical firms claim that Iran and Russia have used crypto assets to purchase drones and weapons components, while North Korea is accused of stealing crypto assets through hacking and cybercrime to buy fuel and military equipment.