By Shaurya Malwa | Edited by Parikshit Mishra
June 18, 2025
In a major escalation of cyber warfare in the Middle East, Iranian cryptocurrency exchange Nobitex has suffered a devastating hack, with over $BTC
48 million reportedly stolen. The cyberattack has been claimed by Gonjeshke Darande, a hacktivist group with alleged ties to Israeli intelligence.
The group, which previously targeted Iran’s state-owned Bank Sepah just a day earlier, posted a warning on social media platform X, threatening to leak Nobitex’s internal data and source code within 24 hours. The group branded Nobitex as a "terror-financing tool" at the heart of Iran’s efforts to bypass international sanctions.
The warning post in Persian read:
> "پس از بانک سپه، نوبت Nobitex شد... در 24 ساعت آینده، کد منبع نوبیتکس و اطلاعات داخلی از شبکه داخلی آن را منتشر خواهیم کرد. هر دارایی که پس از آن در آنجا باقی بماند در معرض خطر خواهد بود!"
The group’s statements were accompanied by evidence of the exploit. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT was among the first to detect suspicious outflows totaling $48.65 million in TRX (Tron tokens). These were traced to a wallet with a striking vanity address:
TKFuckiRGCTerroristsNoBiTEXy2r7mNX.
Nobitex, Iran’s largest crypto exchange, confirmed the cyberattack via an official post on X but did not confirm the exact amount stolen. As of now, the specific method of the attack remains unknown.
The incident marks the latest in a series of escalating cyber and physical confrontations between Iran and Israel. Gonjeshke Darande, previously linked to attacks on Iranian steel plants and gas stations, has again inserted itself at the center of geopolitical digital conflict.
With Nobitex’s source code leak imminent, the platform now faces not only a massive financial loss but also a critical blow to its reputation and user trust. Users who have yet to move their funds have been warned by the hackers that their assets are still at risk.
As tensions rise, the breach underscores the growing vulnerability of financial infrastructure in geopolitical flashpoints — especially when intertwined with blockchain and crypto technologies.