U.S.-based NFT marketplace OpenSea has begun blocking users based in Iran, according to multiple reports from frustrated collectors and creators who recently found themselves unable to access the site.
An OpenSea representative confirmed to Decrypt via email that it blocks users based in sanctioned territories:
“OpenSea blocks users and territories on the U.S. sanctions list from using our services—including buying, selling, or transferring NFTs on OpenSea—and our Terms of Service explicitly prohibit sanctioned users or users in sanctioned territories from using our services. We have a zero tolerance policy for the use of our services by sanctioned individuals or entities and people located in sanctioned countries. If we find individuals to be in violation of our sanctions policy, we take swift action to ban the associated accounts.”
More than five Iranian OpenSea users have reported the issue, three of whom confirmed with Decrypt that they used the site while in Iran. Nima Leo Photos wrote that their photography collection is no longer visible on the platform.
Creators and collectors from Iran have been deplatformed from OpenSea for being in Iran, a country sanctioned by the US embargo. Link to various tweets in this thread, but please read what Mondoir had to say as well and understand how important decentralization is. https://t.co/UyuXAUl0xk
Iran-based OpenSea user Arman wrote that he also received an error 404 message when trying to access the marketplace. And Arefeh Norouzii reported that today, their verified account had been removed “with no explanation.”
An OpenSea Discord server moderator known as RyanW—who often answers support requests in the server—previously said this morning that he was “not aware of any Iranian account bans.”
Screenshot from the OpenSea discord server.
OpenSea has faced many frustrated users in recent months. With a recent $1.7 million external phishing attack, a lawsuit over an allegedly “stolen” Bored Ape NFT, and $1.8 million refunded to users who lost NFTs from an OpenSea listing exploit, the site continues to face challenges despite seeing billions in monthly sales.
Editor’s note: This article and its headline were updated after publication to include and reflect comments from OpenSea confirming the block.
