Tether Says It Has Helped Freeze Nearly $550 Million in Iran-Linked USDT in 2026

Tether says nearly $550 million in Iran-linked USDT was frozen in 2026 through cooperation with U.S. law enforcement

Tether said it has supported U.S. law enforcement and sanctions authorities in freezing approximately $550 million in USDT linked to Iran’s central bank and sanctions networks in 2026, according to information shared by Wu Blockchain.

The company said the frozen assets include more than $344 million across two addresses that were frozen in April. Those addresses were subsequently designated by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) as digital currency identifiers for the Central Bank of Iran.

More Than $130 Million Frozen in July

Tether said more than $130 million was also frozen across four wallets in July. The company described the actions as part of its cooperation with U.S. authorities involving cryptocurrency addresses connected to Iran’s central bank and sanctions networks.

The figures cited by Tether cover assets frozen during 2026 and include the April and July actions. The company did not provide additional details in the information shared by Wu Blockchain about the individual transactions or entities associated with each wallet.

OFAC’s designation of the two addresses frozen in April as digital currency identifiers for the Central Bank of Iran provides a formal sanctions-related link for those addresses. The designation followed Tether’s reported freezing of the funds.

Tether Expands Law Enforcement Cooperation

Tether said it currently works with more than 340 law enforcement agencies across 67 countries. The company also said it has helped freeze more than $4.9 billion in assets globally.

The company’s figures place the Iran-linked freezes within a broader set of actions involving law enforcement and sanctions authorities. Tether has positioned cooperation with government agencies as part of its approach to addressing illicit or sanctioned activity involving USDT.

The nearly $550 million figure cited for 2026 includes the more than $344 million frozen across two addresses in April and the more than $130 million frozen across four wallets in July. The amounts represent funds associated by Tether with Iran’s central bank and sanctions networks.

Sanctions Monitoring of Digital Assets

The actions illustrate the role of stablecoin issuers in responding to sanctions-related investigations involving blockchain addresses. Unlike traditional bank accounts, cryptocurrency transactions can move between addresses across blockchain networks, while issuers of centralized stablecoins can have mechanisms to restrict certain addresses.

In this case, Tether said its cooperation with U.S. law enforcement and sanctions authorities resulted in the freezing of assets linked to Iran-related networks. The subsequent OFAC designation of the two April addresses added them to the agency’s list of digital currency identifiers associated with the Central Bank of Iran.

Tether’s reported global enforcement cooperation currently covers more than 340 law enforcement agencies operating across 67 countries, while the company said the total value of assets it has helped freeze globally has exceeded $4.9 billion.

Writer: Victoria Hale
Technology & Blockchain Writer

Victoria Hale writes about blockchain technology, digital infrastructure, and the intersection of emerging technologies with finance. Her articles explore how new protocols and systems are shaping the evolving digital economy.

She prioritises clarity and accuracy when explaining technical developments to a general audience.