Tether says it helped freeze US$550 million in Iran-related USDT

Tether 协助冻结近 5.5 亿美元与伊朗相关的 USDT，配合美国执法行动

Tether 表示，今年在美国当局针对与伊朗中央银行及其他受制裁网络相关联的钱包时，该公司协助冻结了近 5.5 亿美元的 USDT。

冻结行动详情

Tether 指出，今年 4 月，超过 3.44 亿美元的 USDT 在两个地址上被冻结。随后在 7 月，另外四个 TRON 网络上的钱包中超过 1.3 亿美元的 USDT 也被冻结。目前，Tether 将 2026 年与伊朗相关的 USDT 冻结总额统计约为 5.5 亿美元。

9 月 28 日，Tether 发布声明称，其行动基于美国财政部外国资产控制办公室（OFAC）及美国执法部门提供的信息。今年 4 月，当超过 3.44 亿美元的 USDT 在两个地址被冻结后，OFAC 于次日将这些地址列入伊朗中央银行的制裁名单。该名单还指出了这些地址与伊斯兰革命卫队圣城军以及真主党之间的关联。

在 7 月的行动中，随着财政部将四个 TRON 地址纳入中央银行的指定名单，另外四个钱包中的超过 1.3 亿美元 USDT 被冻结。尽管 Tether 公布了 4 月和 7 月的具体冻结金额，但并未列出包含在该总额中的每一次冻结操作的明细。

冻结机制与合规立场

Previous reports of the $344 million freeze in April showed that one of the TRON wallets held approximately $213 million USDT and the other held approximately $131 million USDT. This restriction only applies to USDTs held in addresses and does not require the TRON network itself to stop processing transactions.

Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino said public blockchain allows authorities to track the flow of funds, while companies can take action if law enforcement provides credible information. He described the USDT as "not a safe haven for sanctioned entities, terrorist organizations or criminal networks." The statement sets out the company's position, while wallet designations and frozen amounts are separate actions reported by OFAC and Tether respectively.

Tether said its freezing policy has been aligned with OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals List (SDN List), including listed wallets holding USDT after its initial release. Freezing operations are designed to prevent the movement of tokens in blocked addresses, which is different from actions where government forfeiture or court orders transfer ownership of assets.

The United States expands sanctions on Iran's digital assets

On August 24, the U.S. Treasury Department launched Operation Economic Outcast and listed digital assets and technology, gold, aviation and shipping as five new sectoral sanctions decisions. The Ministry of Finance said the measures expand its powers against foreign individuals and companies operating or providing support in areas related to the Iranian economy.

For U.S. businesses and individuals, unless exemptions or licenses apply, OFAC designations impose direct transaction restrictions when involving listed parties or their blocked property. The Treasury Department also warned foreign companies that helping to circumvent Iranian sanctions could face sanctions risks. These are rules and warnings issued by the Ministry of Finance, not new restrictions created by Tether's announcement.

On September 17, OFAC designated three associates of Iranian digital asset startup BitBank, its software developers and financier Babak Zanjani in related actions. The Treasury Department accused Zanjani's network of using the digital asset business to transfer funds for IRGC, including hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin. BitBank's sanctions also added developer Pishtaz Simorgh Electronic Trade Company to the OFAC list.

Another U.S. civil case demonstrates how wallet freezes precede efforts to take over tokens. In September, prosecutors sought to seize $61.2 million in USDT spread across ten TRON addresses, and court documents showed Tether had frozen the funds in 2025. The September 14 warrant allows the FBI to take over the targeted assets; the forfeiture petition requests the court to award ownership of the assets to the government. The case involves alleged Iranian oil revenue and has nothing to do with Tether's stated total freeze for 2026.

Global Law Enforcement Cooperation Achievements

Tether 还提到了与以色列国家反恐融资局的协作。该局转介了超过 40 起涉及 640 多个地址的案件，导致超过 2200 万 USDT 被冻结。2023 年，该公司披露了一起涉及影响以色列和乌克兰的非法活动的案件，其中 32 个地址内的 873,118.34 美元被冻结。

2025 年 9 月，以色列反洗钱局公布了一份与其认为与 IRGC 相关的 187 个地址列表后，区块链分析公司 Elliptic 报告称 Tether 已将其中 39 个地址列入黑名单。根据 Tether 对 Elliptic 发现的描述，在这些地址被冻结时，这些钱包中仍保留着约 150 万美元的 USDT。

Tether 表示，在全球执法工作中，它与 67 个国家的 340 多个机构合作，协助冻结了超过 49 亿美元的资产，其中包括与美国当局相关的超过 24 亿美元。其公告正文指出，全球调查超过 2800 起，其中涉及美国执法部门的超过 1500 起；而其页面副标题则给出了更高的数据，分别为超过 2900 起和超过 1600 起。

在公司引用的美国案例中，包括 9 月份司法部针对服务于诈骗中心的市场开展的行动。Tether 表示，当局在一天内限制了超过 5200 万美元的资金，司法部对此表示了感谢。此外，公司还引用了 2 月份一起涉嫌投资欺诈行动的 USDT 扣押事件，涉案金额超过 6100 万美元，司法部国土安全调查局承认了其在资产转移方面的帮助。