Tether, Tron and Chainalysis form task force to freeze stolen crypto

Key points

• Tether says it has frozen more than $7bn linked to illicit activity across 73 countries, working with over 360 law enforcement agencies.
• Chainalysis found AI-enabled scams were 4.5 times more profitable than conventional ones in 2025, with impersonation scams up more than 1,400% year on year.
• Tron reported more than $94bn in circulating USDT as of November 2026.

Tether, Tron and Chainalysis announced the Digital Crime Task Force on 12 November 2026, a private-sector effort to find criminal networks and freeze suspicious assets before funds can be moved. The group will focus on illicit USDT activity on the Tron blockchain, aiming to detect suspicious transactions early rather than investigate after a crime has happened.

Paolo Ardoino, the stablecoin issuer's chief executive, said criminals are using artificial intelligence to move faster than ever and that waiting for victims to report crimes is no longer enough.

Chainalysis will supply blockchain intelligence and AI-assisted investigative tools, and the initiative will take tips and freeze requests directly from law enforcement.

Justin Sun, Tron's founder, said millions of people depend on USDT on Tron and that the industry must make digital finance safer for them.

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