Tether has frozen $182 million in USDT stored at five addresses on the Tron network. This is one of the largest enforcement actions that the stablecoin issuer has reported in recent times.

Tether confirmed that the freeze was carried out at the official request of the US authorities, including the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is stated that these actions were taken "to support ongoing investigations and prevent further movement of funds related to alleged offenses."

As a centralized issuer of stablecoins, Tether retains administrative control over its smart contracts. These keys allow the company to instantly block certain balances when required by law. After that, USDT cannot be transferred or exchanged without permission.

The company did not disclose the identity of the wallet owners and the nature of the alleged activities, as such details are usually provided only to relevant organizations. Tether stated that the freezes reflect its ongoing cooperation with international authorities "aimed at curbing illegal financial flows in blockchain networks."

After beginning cooperation with law enforcement agencies in 2023, Tether blocked USDT for more than $3 billion at addresses around the world.