Posted on 06/18/25
| News Source: Arutz-7
Iran’s top cryptocurrency exchange, Nobitex, appears to have been the target of a significant cyberattack on Wednesday, resulting in losses estimated at over $48 million, according to blockchain analyst ZachXBT.
Shortly after news of the breach surfaced, a pro-Israel hacktivist group known as Predatory Sparrow (also called Gonjeshke Darande) claimed responsibility. The group accused Nobitex of aiding the Iranian government in evading international sanctions and alleged that the platform played a role in supporting Iran’s financial and military infrastructure.
Predatory Sparrow warned that it would release Nobitex’s internal source code and sensitive data within 24 hours, cautioning users that any funds remaining on the exchange could be at risk.
Nobitex tweeted it had detected a “security issue” but did not directly address the hacktivist group's allegations or confirm the extent of the data breach.
“Our technical team detected signs of unauthorized access to a portion of our reporting infrastructure and hot wallet. Immediately upon detection, all access was suspended, and our internal security teams are closely investigating the extent of the incident,” the company said.
Nobitex emphasized that the majority of user funds are stored safely in cold wallets, which are not connected to the internet.
“Users’ assets are completely secure according to cold storage standards. The incident only affected a portion of the hot wallet assets,” the company added.
As a precaution, the exchange has temporarily shut down its website and mobile app while investigations continue.
Nobitex said it accepts full responsibility and promised that any user losses will be covered through its insurance fund and internal resources.
This incident comes just a day after Predatory Sparrow also claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on Iran’s state-owned Bank Sepah, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The group said it had destroyed critical data at the bank and accused it of funding military and terrorist activities.