Tether claims to have assisted in freezing $550 million related to Iran's USDT; the cumulative freezing amount has reached $4.9 billion.
Tether indicates that during 2026, approximately $550 million related to Iran's USDT has been frozen.
In April, over $344 million in USDT was frozen in two addresses related to Iran.
At the same time, Tether stated that its coordinated actions have helped to freeze over $4.9 billion in assets globally.
The issuer of this stablecoin has officially confirmed that in 2026 alone, they assisted American law enforcement agencies and sanction departments in freezing approximately $550 million worth of USDT related to Iran.
At a time when this move is taking place, the United States is intensifying sanctions against Iran's financial network, and stablecoins are therefore under closer scrutiny as a result.
Freeze $550 million related to Iran USDT
In the press release issued on the same day, Tether stated that the company is working closely with law enforcement agencies to combat illegal financial activities. The company mentioned that actions taken in 2026 have helped to freeze approximately $550 million USDT, which is related to the Iranian Central Bank and sanctioned networks.
In April 2026, Tether assisted American authorities in freezing over $344 million in USDT from two wallets. The following day, OFAC added these two wallets to its list of digital currency addresses, claiming that they were related to the Central Bank of Iran.
In July 2026, Tether froze over $130 million in USDT from four wallets. Previously, the U.S. Treasury Department added four new TRON addresses related to the Central Bank of Iran.
In total, actions in April and July resulted in the freezing of over $474 million USDT.
The remaining approximately $75 million were frozen in other smaller transactions between January and September 2026, bringing the total amount to around $550 million.
Tether claims to have frozen $4.9 billion in assets globally
Actions related to Iran are just part of a larger scale of cooperation. Tether indicates that the company collaborates with over 340 law enforcement agencies from 67 countries.
The company stated that these collaborations have resulted in the freezing of over $4.9 billion in assets, of which more than $2.4 billion is related to U.S. authorities.
Tether also collaborates with the Israeli National Counter-Terrorism Financing Authority ( NBCTF ). The company stated that it has frozen over $22 million USDT in more than 40 cases.
As authorities tracked down cryptocurrency networks related to Iran, such cooperation also further expanded. In September 2025, NBCTF disclosed 187 cryptocurrency addresses that it claimed were associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran (IRGC).
Blockchain analysis firm Elliptic subsequently stated that Tether has added 39 of these addresses to a blacklist. As a result, approximately $1.6 million in USDT still held in these wallets has been frozen.
Tether: Blockchain makes it easier to track funds
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that as long as the authorities provide reliable information, Tether will be able to take action to address suspected illegal activities.
"Public blockchain allows authorities to see the flow of funds, a visibility that cash simply does not possess."
He added that as governments around the world strive to combat sanctions evasion and terrorist financing, Tether still maintains direct contact with U.S. and international authorities.
The latest actions of Tether indicate that stablecoins are gradually becoming part of the government's efforts to track and sanction related funds.
