Sanctions screening for crypto addresses
Screen any address against OFAC and EU sanctions listings before you accept or send funds. Direct designations and indirect exposure are reported separately, each with its source.
Free · No account required · BTC, ETH, BSC and TRON
Direct designation and indirect exposure are not the same thing
Most tools collapse both into one risk number. They are legally and practically different, so the result keeps them apart and shows how each was reached.
Direct
The address itself appears on a sanctions listing. Reported with the source of the designation, so you can trace it back to the originating authority rather than taking our word for it.
Indirect
The address received funds traceable to a designated address. The result lists each contributing source with its hop distance, so a hit three hops away is not presented as though the address were designated itself.
Sanctions taint travels further than other risk
Propagation depth is set per risk class and documented rather than hidden. Sanctions exposure is carried to distant hops at a score floor, while informational categories stop early — because passing funds through a few intermediate wallets should not make a designation disappear.
Who screens, and when
OTC desks and P2P
Screen the counterparty address before settlement. Once funds are received, the exposure is already on your books.
Exchanges and processors
Screen deposits on arrival and withdrawals before broadcast. The API supports automated pre-transaction checks.
Wallets and DeFi interfaces
Warn before signing. A user who is stopped from sending to a designated address never has the problem in the first place.
Automating this? The screening API is free and needs no key.
This is screening, not legal advice
A result is an input to your compliance process, not a determination about you or a counterparty. Sanctions obligations differ by jurisdiction and change frequently. If you find exposure, preserve the records and take qualified advice.
Sanctions screening — common questions
Which sanctions lists does PublicAML screen against?
OFAC and EU sanctions listings, plus verified designations aggregated from open sanctions sources. Sanction hits are reported with their source so you can trace the designation back.
What is the difference between direct and indirect sanctions exposure?
Direct means the address itself is designated. Indirect means it received funds traceable to a designated address. Both matter, but they are legally and practically different, so the result reports them separately rather than merging them into one number.
How far does sanctions risk propagate?
Further than other risk classes, by policy. Sanctions taint is carried to distant hops at a score floor, while informational categories stop early — because a few intermediate wallets should not launder a designation away.
Does a sanctions hit mean I have broken the law?
No, and PublicAML does not give legal advice. A screening result is an input to your compliance process, not a determination. If you find sanctions exposure, preserve the records and take qualified advice for your jurisdiction.
Can I screen addresses before accepting a payment?
Yes, and that is the point. The check runs before funds move, free and without an account, and the same screening is available through the API for automated pre-transaction checks.
What if an address is flagged incorrectly?
Attribution can be disputed and reviewed. Labels state the evidence they rest on, and a contested label is marked as disputed while it is re-examined rather than left standing unchallenged.