Crypto News Today (July 29): BTC Loses $64K Following FOMC, Tether Expands into Africa, and the US Targets Iran’s Crypto

In crypto news today (July 30), Bitcoin climbed -0.5% overnight, dropping below $64,000 following yesterday’s FOMC meeting, in which a rate hike wasn’t announced but SEC Chair Paul Atkins hinted at hikes to come, causing a slight sell-off across crypto. However, crypto held up well in comparison to the US stock market, which saw $1Bn wiped out overnight.

One glimmer of hope from yesterday came in the form of ETF flows. Bitcoin funds snapped a four-day outflow streak, finishing the day with $32.1M in inflows, with BlackRock buying $89.8M, countering Fidelity selling $43.1M in BTC.

With the total crypto market cap down around -0.5% overnight, it has dropped to $2.27 trillion. Daily trading volume across crypto sits at $63.4Bn, up from yesterday’s figure of around $61Bn.

The Fear & Greed Index is sitting at 28/100, down one point from yesterday, and within ‘Fear’ territory. This lack of movement reflects a market still digesting yesterday’s speech from Paul Atkins at the FOMC meeting before making moves.

Crypto News Today: US Targets Iran’s Crypto Holdings, Sanctions Iran’s HormuzSafe over Bitcoin Payments Used to Evade Restrictions

The US Treasury Department has imposed sanctions on two Iranian maritime organizations connected to an insurance network that it claims is controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Officials stated that one of these entities accepted Bitcoin and other digital assets to bypass international sanctions.

According to the Treasury’s press release, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Persian Gulf Marine Insurance Company and the HormuzSafe Marine Services Authority. US authorities allege that these organizations operated an insurance scheme requiring commercial vessels to purchase approved policies before passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Treasury also added eight companies associated with Iran’s so-called shadow fleet to its sanctions list and blocked eight vessels. OFAC claims HormuzSafe accepted payments in Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to evade sanctions.

The agency alleges that the proceeds from these activities were used to finance the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and that the scheme contributed to Iran’s strengthened control over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US Treasury Department just sanctioned two Iranian companies for extorting vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. HormuzSafe and the Persian Gulf Marine Insurance Company offered “insurance” plans in exchange for payments in crypto.

Chainalysis has investigated these…

— Chainalysis (@chainalysis) July 29, 2026

Tether Expands Into Africa With Nairobi Exchange Deal

In other crypto news today, Tether has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to explore blockchain-based capital market infrastructure, tokenized securities, and digital asset education in Kenya. This partnership is part of a broader effort to modernize one of Africa’s largest stock exchanges and to expand access to digital financial services for both local and international investors.

According to Tether, the agreement focuses on evaluating blockchain applications for securities trading, enhancing investor education, and improving market infrastructure. It supports the NSE’s broader strategy to adopt new financial technologies and increase participation in Kenya’s capital markets.

The collaboration will examine how distributed ledger technology (DLT) can facilitate the tokenization of financial assets and reduce settlement times on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The companies plan to assess the use of Tether’s Hadron tokenization platform to enable the issuance and trading of tokenized securities and other real-world assets.

The initiative also includes exploring instant settlement mechanisms that could replace the exchange’s current multi-stage settlement process. Additionally, the potential use of USDT as part of a digital settlement infrastructure will be reviewed, where permitted under applicable regulations.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tether to explore digital asset education, tokenization and financial market innovation.

NSE CEO Frank Mwiti said the deal aligns with its 2025-2029 Strategic Plan, while Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino… pic.twitter.com/Rd4WTvEkmp

— Kenyan Wall Street (@kenyanwalstreet) July 28, 2026