The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) maintains a Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list that includes cryptocurrency wallet addresses. Transacting with an OFAC-sanctioned Zcash address can result in serious legal and financial consequences.
What is the OFAC SDN list?
The OFAC SDN list is maintained by the US Treasury Department and includes individuals, organizations, and cryptocurrency addresses that Americans are prohibited from transacting with. Violations can result in fines up to $1M per transaction and criminal prosecution.
Zcash has two address types: transparent (t-addresses, like Bitcoin) and shielded (z-addresses, private). The ratio of shielded vs transparent activity is a key AML risk signal.
OFAC sanctions and Zcash wallets
OFAC regularly adds ZEC wallet addresses linked to: terrorist financing, ransomware operators (REvil, Conti, DarkSide), North Korean hacking groups (Lazarus Group), Iranian financial institutions, and Russian sanctioned entities. Zcash transactions moving from transparent to shielded pools are flagged as potential obfuscation. Exchanges that allow ZEC deposits typically require funds from transparent addresses only.
How to check ZEC address for OFAC sanctions
Use the checker above or send the address directly to @scorechain_amlbot on Telegram for an instant OFAC SDN check with full risk breakdown and downloadable PDF report.
What happens if you transact with a sanctioned Zcash wallet?
Transactions with OFAC-sanctioned ZEC addresses can result in: account freezes by your exchange, fines up to $1M per violation, and criminal prosecution for willful violations. Always screen wallets before transacting, especially for large sums.