Hackers with suspected links to Israel have stolen over $90 million from Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, in a high-profile cyberattack that analysts believe was politically driven, rather than financial.The group behind the breach, known as Gonjeshke Darande or “Predatory Sparrow”, leaked what it claimed was Nobitex’s complete source code and declared on Telegram, “ASSETS LEFT IN NOBITEX ARE NOW ENTIRELY OUT IN THE OPEN.”Blockchain analytics firm Elliptic revealed that the stolen cryptocurrency, spanning Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin and more, was sent to wallets that included anti-Iranian Revolutionary Guard messages. The firm suggested the hackers had “effectively burned the funds in order to send Nobitex a political message,” rather than profiting from the theft.The group also accused Nobitex of helping Iran’s government circumvent Western sanctions and funnel money to militant groups, including Hamas and Yemen’s Houthis. In a statement posted on X, Predatory Sparrow claimed the platform had played a role in supporting Tehran’s nuclear programme and militant proxies.Nobitex appeared to confirm the breach, saying it was investigating “unauthorised access” to its systems. Its website and app remained offline on Tuesday.Andrew Fierman, head of national security intelligence at Chainalysis, described the hack as “particularly significant given the comparatively modest size of Iran’s cryptocurrency market.”The cyberattack follows a fresh wave of escalations between Israel and Iran, sparked last week when Israeli forces reportedly struck nuclear and military targets in Iran, triggering retaliatory missile attacks. The hack also came just days after Predatory Sparrow claimed to have wiped data from Bank Sepah, a major Iranian state-run lender.Elliptic further alleged that associates of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had ties to the Nobitex platform, and that sanctioned Revolutionary Guard operatives used it for financial transactions.While Israeli outlets have repeatedly linked Predatory Sparrow to Israel’s intelligence services, the Israeli government has never officially acknowledged any connection. Last year, US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King voiced concerns over Iran’s use of cryptocurrencies as a tool to bypass international sanctions.
