In 2026, Tether blocked approximately $550 million in USDT assets linked to Iran. The company took these measures following requests from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and local law enforcement agencies.
In April, Tether froze over $344 million across two addresses identified by US authorities as connected to the Central Bank of Iran. By July, the company blocked an additional $130 million across four TRON addresses due to expanded sanctions.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that the company has cooperated with over 340 law enforcement agencies across 67 countries. In total, the issuer has frozen more than $4.9 billion in assets to prevent the use of USDT by sanctioned entities.
The company linked its recent actions to the Operation Economic Outcast initiative. Tether emphasizes that blockchain records remain publicly accessible, which facilitates the tracking of financial crimes despite the use of digital assets.
