Tether says it helped freeze $550M in Iran-linked USDT this year
Tether said it helped authorities freeze nearly $550 million in Iran-linked USDT in 2026, including over $130 million in four wallets this year and more than $344 million tied to Iran’s central bank in April. The company said it has worked with global law enforcement for years and has frozen over $4.9 billion in assets overall, including more than $2.4 billion linked to U.S. authorities. The statement followed a Senate Democratic report alleging USDT has been a major tool for Iran to evade sanctions. Investigators said 84% of 846 crypto wallets sanctioned for Iran ties transacted exclusively or mostly in USDT. Senator Richard Blumenthal called on the Treasury and Justice departments to investigate possible sanctions violations. Tether said USDT is not a safe haven for sanctioned actors, terrorist groups, or criminal networks.
