Western enforcement backs Israel’s fight, choking Hamas funding networks exploiting crypto and weak oversight.
Spanish police have detained a 38-year-old Chinese national near Barcelona on suspicion of financing Hamas through cryptocurrency, exposing how terror groups exploit digital assets to move money across borders.
Investigators traced at least 31 crypto transactions—totaling roughly €600,000—from wallets allegedly controlled by the suspect to addresses believed linked to a Hamas-associated entity. The probe, launched during a broader fraud and money-laundering investigation last June, escalated after analysts identified terror-finance indicators.
During coordinated searches of the suspect’s hair salon and home, officers seized cryptoassets, cash, jewelry, computers, mobile phones, and roughly 9,000 cigars. Authorities also froze multiple bank accounts, with seized and blocked assets exceeding €370,000.
Hamas is formally designated a terrorist organization by the European Union and other Western nations. Police declined to speculate on motive or whether the suspect acted knowingly or as an intermediary, citing operational sensitivity.
Security officials warn that Hamas increasingly turns to cryptocurrencies to bypass sanctions and oversight—precisely why Israel has long pushed aggressive financial warfare. After the October 7 massacre, victims filed suit against Binance and its founder Changpeng Zhao, alleging facilitation of terror payments. Earlier, Israel moved decisively: then-Defense Minister Benny Gantz authorized seizures of Hamas-linked crypto, including ₪2.6 million tied to Gaza-based exchanges and additional accounts soon after.
The pattern is clear: follow the money, dismantle the terror. Israel’s strategy—financial pressure paired with intelligence—continues to set the standard, while Europe’s enforcement closes the gaps Hamas exploits.
