OFAC Crypto Sanctions: Addresses, Entities & Compliance Guide
Learn how OFAC's crypto sanctions list works, which wallet addresses are blocked, and what compliance steps exchanges need to avoid fines.
When working with crypto addresses, unique alphanumeric strings that identify a destination on a blockchain network. Also known as crypto wallet addresses, they let users send and receive digital assets securely. A wallet, software or hardware that stores the private keys controlling those addresses is required to sign transactions. crypto addresses are the public side of a key pair; they are derived from a public key, the cryptographic output that can be shared openly while the private key stays hidden inside the wallet. This relationship forms a basic semantic triple: crypto addresses encompass public keys, which derive from private keys stored in a wallet. Another triple connects crypto addresses to blockchain explorers: blockchain explorers use crypto addresses to track transaction histories. Because every transfer on a public ledger references a destination address, understanding how these strings are built, read, and protected is essential for anyone moving value in the crypto space.
Beyond the address itself, the safety of your funds depends on the seed phrase, a sequence of twelve to twenty‑four words that can regenerate all private keys in a wallet. Lose the seed phrase and you lose access to every address it controls; keep it safe and you can recover your wallet on any device. When you enter a seed phrase into a wallet, the software derives the private key, then the public key, and finally the crypto address you share with others. This flow creates another semantic triple: seed phrase generates private keys, which produce crypto addresses. To verify that an address actually received funds, users turn to a blockchain explorer, an online tool that displays transaction details for any address on a supported chain. By plugging a crypto address into the explorer, you can see inbound and outbound transfers, token balances, and even the age of the address. The explorer doesn’t hold any keys; it simply reads the public ledger, reinforcing the idea that crypto addresses are public identifiers while the control remains private.
All these pieces—addresses, wallets, seed phrases, public keys, and explorers—work together to make decentralized finance possible. In the collection below you’ll find articles that break down the regulatory impact on address usage, how services like Bybit detect VPNs tied to address activity, and deep dives into specific address‑related topics such as Bitcoin on Base (BTCB) and Iran’s mining operations. Whether you’re hunting for a step‑by‑step guide to claim an airdrop or trying to understand how the EU’s MiCA framework treats cross‑border address transfers, the posts ahead give you actionable insight and concrete examples. Dive in to see how each aspect of crypto addresses plays out in real‑world scenarios.
Learn how OFAC's crypto sanctions list works, which wallet addresses are blocked, and what compliance steps exchanges need to avoid fines.