Tether confirms cooperation with the U.S. government to freeze over $344 million worth of USDT

Odaily Planet Daily News: Tether announced that it has supported the U.S. government in freezing more than $344 million worth of USDT, involving two wallet addresses. This freezing action was carried out in collaboration with the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and U.S. law enforcement agencies, with the goal of preventing the funds from moving further.

The freeze was based on information provided by multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies, which indicated that these addresses are linked to illegal activities. Tether stated that when wallet addresses are associated with sanctions evasion, criminal networks, or other illegal activities, the company will take freezing measures. Today, this has become Tether’s standard response to legitimate requests from U.S. and global law enforcement agencies.

Tether follows a zero-tolerance policy and firmly opposes criminal activities carried out through its financial products, including USDT, and has long adhered to OFAC’s guidance on the “Specially Designated Nationals” (SDN) list. The company works closely with more than 340 law enforcement agencies worldwide to help identify and freeze assets associated with illegal activities or wrongdoing, preventing further transfers.

Tether has supported more than 2,300 cases globally, including more than 1,200 cases involving U.S. law enforcement agencies. The total value of assets frozen exceeds $4.4 billion, including $2.1 billion related to U.S. law enforcement agencies.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said: “USDT is never a safe haven for illegal activity. When there is credible connection with sanctioned entities or criminal networks, we act immediately. Recent events have shown what happens when platforms fail to act swiftly—law enforcement loses effectiveness, users are exposed, and trust is lost. Our approach is different: we combine blockchain transparency, real-time monitoring, and direct coordination with law enforcement to stop the flow of funds. This is our responsibility as one of the largest issuers in the market, and we take it very seriously.”

This action is part of Tether’s cooperation with U.S. law enforcement agencies. The U.S. Department of Justice previously confirmed Tether’s support in enforcement actions, successfully seizing nearly $61 million and approximately $225 million in “Pig Butchering” scam funds. These cases show that as long as issuers and law enforcement work closely together, digital assets on public blockchains are not out of reach.