U.S. federal investigators have seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency allegedly intended for Hamas and disrupted online infrastructure used to solicit donations and recruit supporters. Authorities say the operation also provided investigators with information on thousands of people who attempted to contact the group about making contributions.
- The FBI seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency allegedly connected to Hamas fundraising.
- Authorities took control of domains, servers and communication platforms linked to the fundraising operation.
- Investigators said the seized infrastructure helped identify thousands of potential donors.
- The seizures form part of a broader international effort to disrupt cryptocurrency-based terrorist financing.
FBI Disrupts Hamas-Linked Crypto Fundraising
The FBI has disrupted a cryptocurrency fundraising network allegedly operated on behalf of Hamas’ military wing, the Al Qassam Brigades.
The Justice Department announced the operation on Sept. 1, saying investigators had seized more than $560,000 in cryptocurrency while also taking control of websites, domains and servers allegedly used to solicit donations and recruit supporters.
The investigation focused on an encrypted online group that directed participants to a fundraising website and distributed changing cryptocurrency wallet addresses.
Investigators used information from multiple sources to trace the digital assets and ultimately seize the funds in a series of court-authorized actions conducted in 2025.
The three seizures collectively amounted to approximately $560,000.
The announcement followed an earlier operation disclosed in March 2025, when authorities seized roughly $200,000 in cryptocurrency associated with at least 17 wallet addresses.
According to investigators, the broader collection network had processed more than $1.5 million since October 2024. Authorities said the funds moved through cryptocurrency exchanges, over-the-counter brokers and accounts associated with individuals in Turkey and other locations.
Seized Websites Help Investigators Trace Donors
Taking control of the fundraising infrastructure gave investigators access to more than cryptocurrency transactions.
Authorities also obtained control of the AlQassam.ps domains and related servers, allowing them to intercept funds sent through the seized network and collect information associated with people interacting with the operation.
Cryptocurrency transactions can provide investigators with a valuable trail because most public blockchains record transfers permanently.
Although wallet addresses generally do not directly reveal a person’s identity, investigators can combine blockchain records with information from cryptocurrency exchanges, online communications, seized computers and servers, and human sources.
This can allow authorities to connect otherwise pseudonymous wallet activity to specific individuals or organizations.
The latest investigation therefore extends beyond the value of the cryptocurrency seized. The digital infrastructure itself appears to have become an important source of intelligence.
Previous Investigations Targeted Crypto Transfer Networks
U.S. authorities have previously pursued cryptocurrency networks suspected of helping Hamas move funds outside conventional financial channels.
In July 2025, prosecutors announced a $2 million civil forfeiture action involving cryptocurrency allegedly connected to Hamas-linked financial activity.
Authorities associated the assets with Buy Cash Money and Money Transfer Company, a Gaza-based financial operation that prosecutors accused of facilitating Hamas financing.
These cases demonstrate how investigators are increasingly focusing on the financial infrastructure surrounding digital-asset transfers rather than limiting enforcement to individual wallets.
Cryptocurrency exchanges, brokers and payment intermediaries can all become relevant when authorities attempt to trace the movement of funds through multiple layers.
International Authorities Target Hamas Financing Channels
The FBI operation forms part of a broader international campaign targeting financial networks accused of supporting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The U.S. Treasury Department has previously sanctioned Hamas-linked exchange networks, their operators and associates, alleging that the group has explored multiple methods for moving and raising money, including cryptocurrency.
The United Kingdom and Australia have also imposed sanctions on Hamas officials and financial facilitators.
Financial regulators have simultaneously warned banks, cryptocurrency businesses and other financial institutions to watch for transactions that could be associated with terrorist fundraising.
A 2023 Financial Crimes Enforcement Network alert highlighted potential warning signs involving cryptocurrency donations, money-services businesses, fundraising campaigns and organizations soliciting money without demonstrating legitimate charitable activity.
Financial institutions were encouraged to report suspicious transactions that could be connected to terrorist financing.
Cryptocurrency Exchanges Face Increasing Pressure
Authorities in other countries have also worked with cryptocurrency exchanges to disrupt suspected Hamas fundraising channels.
In October 2023, Israeli authorities worked with Binance to freeze cryptocurrency accounts that they alleged had been used to collect donations for Hamas through social-media channels.
Such cooperation has become an important part of international efforts to identify and block cryptocurrency-based financing networks.
The FBI’s latest operation demonstrates why investigators increasingly combine blockchain analysis with traditional intelligence-gathering techniques.
According to the Justice Department, information obtained through the investigation included records concerning thousands of individuals who had contacted Hamas online about potentially making donations using cryptocurrency or traditional payment methods.
Seizure Provides Broader Intelligence
The financial value of the cryptocurrency seized represents only one part of the investigation.
By gaining access to fundraising websites, communication platforms and associated infrastructure, investigators were able to gather information that could potentially support additional counterterrorism investigations.
The case also illustrates an important characteristic of public blockchain networks: while cryptocurrency transactions can provide users with a degree of pseudonymity, the underlying transaction history remains visible and can be analyzed over time.
As governments and law-enforcement agencies improve their blockchain-tracing capabilities, cryptocurrency fundraising networks face increasing difficulty operating without leaving a potentially traceable financial record.
The latest FBI operation therefore combines asset seizures with infrastructure disruption and intelligence gathering, reflecting the increasingly sophisticated approach authorities are taking toward cryptocurrency-linked terrorist financing.
