The US Treasury Department has moved to cut cryptocurrency exchange MEXC Global off from the American financial system over at least $16 billion in allegedly illicit transactions. The order, issued on November 6 by the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as part of Operation Economic Outcast, prohibits US financial institutions from processing transfers involving the exchange.
According to FinCEN, MEXC facilitated the transactions between May 2021 and May 2026. The agency linked the activity to sanctions evasion involving Iran, Russia and North Korea, as well as ransomware payments, scams and darknet-market transactions.
Billions in Transactions Linked to Sanctioned Networks
FinCEN’s findings point to substantial Russia-related activity. Treasury identified nearly $1.5 billion in transactions connected to Russian sanctions evasion, including approximately $232 million in direct transfers involving entities sanctioned by the US, European Union or United Kingdom.
The agency also alleged that MEXC continued processing transactions involving Russian exchange Garantex and its successor, Grinex, as recently as June 2026. A further $26 million was linked to Russia’s sanctioned A7 network, while almost $200 million in transactions involved the ruble-backed A7A5 stablecoin.
Iran-linked activity also featured prominently. Between May 2021 and May 2026, MEXC allegedly sent or received around $1 billion in direct transactions with more than 40 Iranian cryptocurrency exchanges. FinCEN additionally identified approximately $22 million in transactions benefiting Iran’s Central Bank, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Qods Force.
Treasury said these findings exposed serious weaknesses in MEXC’s anti-money-laundering controls, despite the exchange’s stated policies prohibiting activity involving certain sanctioned jurisdictions.
Restrictions on US Financial Transfers
The order prevents US financial institutions from transmitting funds to or from MEXC Global. It was issued under Section 9714(a) of the Combating Russian Money Laundering Act and will become effective 30 days after its publication in the Federal Register. Institutions that violate the measure could face civil or criminal penalties.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the decision, stating: “Financial institutions cannot have it both ways: Either you support the Iranian regime, or you have access to the U.S. financial system.”
The distinction is important: this is not a blanket worldwide prohibition on trading through MEXC, nor does the order automatically freeze every customer’s cryptocurrency. Instead, it targets the exchange’s access to transfers processed by US financial institutions. It also differs from a conventional designation under the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Enforcement Action Puts Crypto Exchanges Under Renewed Scrutiny
The scale of the allegations makes the action particularly significant. Treasury estimates that MEXC processed more than $1 billion in daily transactions as of September 2026 and held approximately $5 billion in reserves, placing it among the world’s 20 largest cryptocurrency exchanges.
The case forms part of a broader US effort to disrupt financial networks allegedly helping sanctioned entities move funds through digital assets. By targeting the financial infrastructure connecting an exchange to the US banking system, regulators are demonstrating that enforcement measures can reach beyond individual wallets and directly affect major crypto platforms.
For the wider industry, the MEXC action could intensify scrutiny of exchange compliance procedures, particularly customer verification, transaction monitoring and exposure to sanctioned entities. It also raises questions about how international platforms will maintain access to traditional financial services as regulatory pressure increases.
The immediate impact will depend on how MEXC and financial institutions respond before the order takes effect. However, the decision sends a clear warning that cryptocurrency platforms operating internationally are not beyond the reach of US financial enforcement.
