The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has seized approximately $560,000 in cryptocurrency intended for Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades. The US Department of Justice announced the digital currency seizure on Tuesday.
Three court warrants dated March 25, June 25, and October 10, 2025, served as the legal basis for the seizure. The confiscated assets spanned multiple blockchain networks, with recovered cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Wrapped Ethereum, Tether, and Tron.
Law enforcement drained the full value of assets from 18 distinct wallet addresses operating under Tether’s control. Authorities also cleared the balances of three user accounts on the Binance cryptocurrency exchange.
Wiretapping from Within
The cyber operation struck directly at the core of the Al-Qassam Brigades’ online infrastructure. The FBI seized both the web domain and main server of the AlQassam.ps website. Administrators had previously used the webpage to periodically rotate crypto wallet addresses when soliciting public donations to cover their tracks.
Taking full control of AlQassam.ps opened a vast intelligence gateway for the FBI. By controlling the server, law enforcement was able to intercept incoming donations before the funds reached the military wing. Authorities also gathered identifying information on thousands of individuals who had contacted Hamas through communication channels on the website.
Tuesday’s action by the United States is part of a multi-year campaign to dismantle the Hamas network’s crypto funding. In March 2025, a prior warrant led to the seizure of $201,400 in crypto. Those funds were pulled from a recipient address recorded to have received over $1.5 million in transfers since October 2024.
The Open Ledger Bears Witness
International pressure on the armed group’s financial pipelines has repeatedly targeted exchange activity. Israeli police froze several Binance user accounts suspected of Hamas affiliations in 2023. In response to law enforcement orders, Binance management stated they froze assets across approximately 14% of the 1,500 wallets flagged by Israeli authorities.
US security officials maintain that tracking illicit crypto assets will not stop. FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman stated his agency has an obligation to sever illicit financial infrastructure. “The FBI will continue to use its authorities to disrupt illegal funds and prevent terrorist organizations from exploiting digital networks,” he said.
US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro highlighted the fundraisers’ critical vulnerability. “Message to Hamas: we will stop your terror fundraising. Your crypto is vulnerable,” Pirro stated.
The takeover of the donation server demonstrates that crypto anonymity has its limits. Blockchain transactions may be designed to bypass traditional financial institutions, but when digital currency wallets are tied to standard web servers, authorities can ultimately track down the perpetrators.
Reported via Decrypt.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
