T3 Freezes $250M in Criminal Assets in First Year of Operations

The T3 Financial Crime Unit, a collaboration between Tether, Tron, and TRM Labs, has frozen over $250 million in criminal assets within less than a year of its formation in September 2024 [1]. The initiative, which has engaged with law enforcement on five continents, has monitored more than $3 billion in transaction volume and has been instrumental in seizing funds tied to money laundering, scams, and terrorism financing. High-profile successes include the interception of proceeds from “pig butchering” scams and organized crime operations in Europe.

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, highlighted the significance of the milestone, stating that it demonstrates the potential for collaboration within the crypto industry to combat financial crime effectively [1]. The unit’s success is attributed to its cross-border enforcement model, combining blockchain analytics with real-time monitoring and rapid response mechanisms.

To further expand its reach and impact, T3 has launched a new initiative called “T3+,” designed to accelerate cross-border investigations by integrating exchanges, financial institutions, and other stakeholders into enforcement efforts in real time. Binance, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges globally, has joined as the first member of T3+ and has already frozen nearly $6 million associated with a scam [1]. This collaboration underscores the unit’s commitment to scaling its efforts across the global crypto ecosystem.

The T3 initiative reflects a growing trend among crypto firms to take a proactive role in addressing illegal activity within the space. By combining private-sector innovation with public-sector enforcement, T3 and its expanded T3+ program are setting a new standard for real-time crime prevention in the digital asset industry.

Source: [1] Tether, Tron-Backed T3 Financial Crime Unit Has Frozen $250M of Criminal Assets in a Year (https://www.coindesk.com/policy/2025/08/12/tether-tron-backed-t3-financial-crime-unit-has-frozen-usd250m-of-criminal-assets-in-a-year)