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Long summarized by fiery speeches or missiles exchanged at dusk, the war between Iran and Israel has taken new paths. Now, it is also waged silently, keyboard against keyboard. The Nobitex case brutally reminds us of this: more than 81 million dollars in crypto have evaporated, not in a bombing, but in a digital theft claimed by a pro-Israeli group. It is no longer just a military war. It is a war of code.
In brief
Nobitex lost 81 million in an attack carried out by a determined pro-Israeli group.
Hackers used custom addresses to discreetly steal across multiple blockchains in parallel.
The attack is part of a growing digital war between Israel and Iran over several months.
Experts fear escalation and extension of these cyberattacks to sensitive U.S. infrastructure.
Nobitex, 81 million evaporated: the largest crypto attack in Iran
The Nobitex exchange, a flagship of crypto trading in Iran, was violently targeted on the night of June 12. Result: 81.7 million dollars in crypto stolen across multiple blockchains, including Ethereum and Tron. At the origin, a spectacular method: “vanity addresses” with provocative names.
For example, one of the addresses used reads “TKFuckiRGCTerroristsNoBiTEXy2r7mNX.” A direct message, loaded with political meaning.
The pro-Israel group Gonjeshke Darande claimed the attack in a post on X:
We will publish the source code and Nobitex internal files within 24 hours. All remaining assets will be at risk.
Nobitex quickly reacted: the hot wallets were suspended, users were reassured. The platform states that “funds are secured thanks to cold storage” and announces full compensation from its internal resources.
According to expert Hakan Unal (Cyvers), the origin of the attack would be a “critical failure of access controls“. But what surprises even more: the stolen funds have not moved since the hack.
Iran, Israel: when war infiltrates the code
The attack against Nobitex does not come out of nowhere. It occurs in an explosive climate between Iran and Israel, as the two powers confront each other on multiple fronts: military, economic, diplomatic… and now digital.
On June 13, Israel carried out massive strikes against Iranian targets. 224 deaths were recorded on the Iranian side, according to The Guardian. In retaliation, Tehran promises “a total response“. But it is on another front that things are accelerating.
In its message on X, Gonjeshke Darande accuses Nobitex of serving the interests of the Iranian regime:
Nobitex is at the heart of the regime’s efforts to finance global terrorism.
And goes further by stating that working for Nobitex is equivalent to official military service.
In other words, hitting Nobitex is targeting a vital organ of digital Iran.
This statement places the crypto exchange at the center of the Iranian geopolitical apparatus. The attack is therefore not just theft, it is a targeted strike, a remote sabotage. The message: Israel can strike as well with drones as with Python scripts.
Global cyberwar: what the crypto attack against Iran reveals
This attack is part of a series of large-scale digital operations. Since 2023, the Iranian group CyberAv3ngers has carried out several cyberattacks against critical infrastructures in the United States and Israel.
The IOCONTROL malware used in these campaigns targets water management systems, fuel, and connected objects. It allows total remote control. In October 2023, CyberAv3ngers claimed to have hacked 200 gas stations.
Experts are worried. Michael Daniel, former White House cybersecurity advisor, explains:
Both countries have the capabilities to carry out destructive attacks, including data wipers.
More worryingly, analysts believe that cyberattacks could target American infrastructures. Iran could thus extend its strikes beyond the Middle East. Annie Fixler from the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation states that the United States presents too many cyber vulnerabilities not to be targeted.
The crypto war in a few data points:
$81.7M: amount stolen during the Nobitex hack;
$2.1B: total crypto sector losses in 2025;
$49M: stolen via the provocative Tron address;
200 gas stations: attacked by CyberAv3ngers in 2023.
As bombs fall and wallets flee, the crypto market takes another hit. Bitcoin, the barometer for tensions, dropped after a statement by Trump: “If Iran hits a single American soldier, everything will change“. Immediate result: a slide of BTC into the red zone.
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La révolution blockchain et crypto est en marche ! Et le jour où les impacts se feront ressentir sur l’économie la plus vulnérable de ce Monde, contre toute espérance, je dirai que j’y étais pour quelque chose
DISCLAIMER
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and should not be taken as investment advice. Do your own research before taking any investment decisions.
