ईरान से जुड़े वॉलेट्स द्वारा USDT को जांच के दायरे में लाने पर Tether को सीनेट की जांच का सामना करना पड़ रहा है
एक कांग्रेसनल रिपोर्ट से यह खुलासा होने के बाद कि इसके USDT स्थिर सिक्के का उपयोग ईरानी और मध्य पूर्वी संस्थाओं द्वारा प्रतिबंधों से बचने और क्षेत्रीय गतिविधियों को निधि देने के लिए बड़े पैमाने पर किया जाता है, Tether को सीनेट की जांच का सामना करना पड़ रहा है।
Tether faces fresh regulatory examination following findings from Democratic staff on the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, who determined that USDT stood out as the most widely used stablecoin across hundreds of addresses targeted in seizure and sanction actions directed at Iranian and Middle Eastern entities.
A preliminary study released on Sept. 28 revealed that 84% of the 846 wallets analyzed carried out nearly all of their transactions via a dollar-pegged stablecoin.
These findings were put together by Democratic minority staff members on the subcommittee rather than through a bipartisan consensus of the entire committee. The report’s authors pointed out that USDT functions heavily as a primary money transfer mechanism within Iran’s shadow banking system, prompting their recommendation for the U.S. government to probe Tether’s adherence to anti-money laundering and sanctions regulations.
The investigation looked at cryptocurrency transactions spanning a five-year period. Out of 757 wallets reported to Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing, law enforcement representatives indicated that 87% of those addresses conducted at least 80% of their transaction volume using USDT.
Among 101 wallets sanctioned by OFAC and tied to Iran or Iranian organizations, 57% relied primarily on a stablecoin. Across both datasets, Bitcoin emerged as the second-most prevalent cryptocurrency.
Questions were raised in the report regarding the pace at which Tether responded to government enforcement measures targeting specific crypto addresses. The investigators highlighted 39 wallets flagged by Israel in June 2023 that were connected to Tawfiq Muhammad Sa’id Al-Law, a financier associated with Hezbollah.
Read More: Iran Is Using Tether to Bypass Sanctions: Crypto’s Biggest Real-World Use Case Just Got Darker
Initial bans were applied to five individuals, while an additional 34 bans followed in March 2024. Minority staff members calculated that more than $34.6 million worth of USDT was pulled from the blocked accounts after the announcement of the Israeli ban.
Tether contested the conclusions of the report regarding its regulatory compliance. Chief Executive Officer Paolo Ardoino maintained that USDT is largely clear of substantial illicit activity involving terrorist groups, sanctioned entities, and individuals. Representatives for Tether noted that proactive cooperation with law enforcement facilitated the seizure of roughly $550 million in USDT associated with Iran throughout 2026.
That figure encompasses $344 million frozen across two addresses in April—utilizing data supplied by OFAC and other American officials—alongside approximately $130 million frozen at four separate addresses in July. United States authorities have linked these particular addresses to Iran’s central bank and additional sanctioned groups.
Furthermore, the organization reported aiding more than 2,900 global investigations, which includes upwards of 1,600 cases involving American authorities. Tether stated that its assistance contributed to freezing over $4.9 billion in assets across various inquiries, emphasizing its ongoing cooperation with U.S. agencies.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, who leads the Democratic side of the subcommittee, shared the report’s data with Attorney General Todd Blanche and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, asking their respective departments to examine whether Tether broke federal laws regarding sanctions and AML compliance.
Read More: Tether Plans AI Apps for Developing Markets as Global Users Top 650M
Blumenthal’s inquiry does not constitute proof that Tether engaged in illegal conduct, and none of the details within the report represent judicial rulings against the company.
This controversy places stablecoin regulation back under intense focus. While congressional investigators have voiced apprehensions concerning the delays in freezing wallets linked to Iranian actors, Tether representatives argue that public blockchain data and related insights regarding the stablecoin issuer remain valuable tools for helping law enforcement agencies halt suspicious transfers.
