Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin, has frozen 32 addresses containing $873,118.34 in funds that were linked to illicit activities in Israel and Ukraine, according to a post on the company’s website.
The USDT issuer also noted it has been working with the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) of Israel to prevent cryptocurrency from being used to fund terrorism and war.
“Cryptocurrency is a powerful tool, but it is not a tool for crime,” said newly named Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino in the post. “Contrary to popular belief, cryptocurrency transactions are not anonymous; they are the most traceable and trackable assets. Every transaction is recorded on the blockchain, making it feasible for anyone to trace fund movements.”
Tether said in the post that it had assisted 31 agencies in 19 jurisdictions worldwide. The investigations have led to the freezing of a total of $835 million in assets associated with theft and other crimes, including the freezes in Israel and Ukraine.
The regions included Brazil, China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The potential illicit use of crypto has gained new attention since militant group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Last week, news broke that crypto exchange Binance was assisting Israeli police in freezing Hamas-linked accounts that were trying to raise money through social media.
“We eagerly anticipate continued collaboration with global law enforcement agencies as part of our commitment to global security and financial integrity,” Ardoino said.
