Iranian crypto exchange Nobitex has close ties with founding family and high-level officials, remains active during wartime

Odaily Planet Daily News: Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, was founded by members of the Kharrazi family, who have close ties to Iran's top leadership. Investigations show the exchange was created by brothers Ali and Mohammad Kharrazi, who previously used the surname "Aghamir" to conceal their connection to the Kharrazi family, a clan with longstanding, deep links to Iran's political core, including historical ties to Ali Khamenei and his successors.

Reports indicate that Nobitex currently serves over 11 million users, dominates the Iranian crypto market, and continued operating during conflicts between Iran, the US, and Israel, processing transactions even during nationwide internet blackouts. Analysts state that its trading volume exceeded $100 million during wartime, with significant capital flowing overseas.

Additionally, several on-chain analytics firms have pointed out that the platform has processed transactions linked to sanctioned entities, with estimated volumes ranging from $22 million to $366 million. Other data shows that wallets associated with the Central Bank of Iran transferred hundreds of millions of dollars in crypto assets to Nobitex in 2025, purportedly to circumvent financial sanctions. Nobitex, for its part, denies any connection to the government and claims that illegal transactions constitute only a small portion of its overall business. (Cointelegraph)