U.S. expands sanctions on Cuba, hitting tourism ministry and crypto wallets

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) added dozens of cryptocurrency addresses on Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Dogecoin, Tron, Dash, Zcash and Litecoin to its sanctions list, linking them to Cuban state entities such as the Ministry of Tourism, the Cuban Association of Revolutionary Combatants and other government‑owned firms. In parallel, the State Department placed Cuba’s Ministry of Tourism and nine additional state‑owned companies, including fuel‑import and export agencies, on a new sanctions package. The measures freeze any U.S.‑linked assets, bar U.S. persons and companies from dealing with the listed entities, and led Tether to freeze $131 million USDT on the Tron network. The sanctions are part of a broader pressure campaign by the Trump administration, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating the United States will use “all means at its disposal” to confront the Cuban regime and promote economic reforms. Cuban officials have denounced the steps as “criminal and genocidal,” while U.S. officials argue they target the communist government’s “national security” threats. The tourism sector, a key source of foreign currency, has seen a 58 % drop in visitors, with only 360 000 tourists in the first five months of 2026, contributing to severe energy shortages and widespread blackouts on the island.