Tether froze $4.2B in USDT over 3 years, including ~$544M at Turkey's request; Elliptic/Circle blacklisted ~5,700 wallets (~$2.5B)

first published 2026-02-28T06:01:35Z

Tether says it has frozen roughly $4.2 billion in USDT linked to illegal activity (about $3.5 billion of that since 2023) and recently helped the U.S. Department of Justice block $61 million connected to pig‑butchering scams. The company emphasizes that, with a circulating supply above $180 billion, it can remotely freeze tokens in wallets at authorities' request as a tool to combat crypto-related crime.

AI Analysis

Facts: Tether froze ~$4.2B in USDT (including ~$3.5B since 2023), assisted the DOJ in blocking $61M tied to pig‑butchering scams, and has a circulating supply above $180B with the ability to remotely freeze tokens at authorities' request. These facts suggest increased enforcement cooperation and centralized control over USDT rather than new market fundamentals.

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