Tether Freezes $344 Million in TRON USDT as OFAC Ties 2 Wallets to Iran's Central Bank
Updated
Updated · PANews · May 28
Tether Freezes $344 Million in TRON USDT as OFAC Ties 2 Wallets to Iran's Central Bank
2 articles · Updated · PANews · May 28
Summary
$344 million in USDT was frozen across two TRON addresses after Tether said it was cooperating with the U.S. Treasury and law enforcement; OFAC added both wallets to sanctions records tied to Iran's central bank.
The larger address held about 212.9 million USDT and the second about 131.3 million; OFAC also linked them to sanctioned networks including the IRGC-Qods Force and Hizballah.
On-chain analysis described the wallets as reserve-style accumulators rather than active exchange or laundering addresses, with roughly $370 million received in about 1,000 transactions and an 8.6 million USDT transfer between the two.
Public blockchain data supports a coordinated funding structure, but the report said it does not by itself prove the Iranian government directly controlled the private keys; brokers, custodians or OTC intermediaries remain possible.
The case underscores that centralized stablecoins can be frozen at issuer level and highlights TRON's growing role as a sanctions-enforcement battleground for exchanges, wallet providers and compliance firms.
After Iran's $344M USDT freeze, how can users prove their crypto assets are safe from seizure?
As the US targets Iran's crypto, what digital evasion tactics will sanctioned nations develop next?
Will new US laws turn all major stablecoins into direct instruments of government financial control?
U.S. Freezes $344 Million in USDT Linked to Iran: The New Era of Stablecoin Sanctions and Regulatory Crackdown
Overview
In April 2026, Tether froze $344 million in USDT after close coordination with the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC, following Iran’s aggressive actions in the Strait of Hormuz. The next day, OFAC designated two Tron addresses linked to the Central Bank of Iran, IRGC, and Hezbollah, highlighting a U.S. effort to disrupt Iran’s financial networks and deter further destabilization. On-chain analysis showed these addresses mainly stored large sums with little activity, suggesting use as sovereign reserves. This event demonstrated the power of centralized stablecoin issuers to enforce sanctions, raising concerns about asset security and censorship for stablecoin users worldwide.