Miguel Lopez On a recent Monday, Tether, a prominent issuer of stablecoins, announced that it had suspended 32 addresses purportedly involved in war, crime, and terrorism-related activities. The accounts in question are suspected of being connected to questionable activities in both Israel and Ukraine. Tether also revealed its ongoing collaboration with Israel’s National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) to curb such malign activities.
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Tether’s Response to International Conflicts: Freezing Assets Linked to Unrest in Ukraine and Israel
Amid heightening tensions in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, as well as the unrest involving Hamas and Israel, Tether has divulged that it has frozen 32 digital currency addresses. Cumulatively, these accounts held $873,118, suspected of being linked to unlawful activities in both nations.
Tether disclosed its partnership with a broad network comprising 31 governmental agencies spread across 19 international jurisdictions. To this point, the company has immobilized a sum of $835 million belonging to users implicated in theft and related infractions.
Tether contends that its ability to freeze and recover stolen funds exemplifies the “new, innovative capabilities and heightened security that blockchain technologies can introduce to the worldwide financial ecosystem.”
The company counters the argument made by some critics and media that digital currencies are ill-equipped to tackle terrorism financing and criminality. Instead, Tether emphasizes the “traceability of blockchain transactions” as an effective measure to counter illicit activities.
“Cryptocurrency is a potent instrument, but it should not be misused for criminal endeavors,” commented Paolo Ardoino, Tether’s CEO. “Contrary to widespread assumptions, cryptocurrency transactions lack anonymity; they are, in fact, the most trackable and traceable form of assets. The blockchain records each transaction, allowing the movement of funds to be traced by anyone.” Ardoino further stated:
Thus, individuals imprudent enough to use cryptocurrencies for unlawful purposes will invariably be exposed.
In a recent organizational shift, Ardoino was named CEO while Tether’s previous CEO, Jean-Louis van der Velde, has moved to an advisory role. As of today, Tether’s market capitalization stands at $83.90 billion, making up 68% of the $123 billion stablecoin market.
What are your views on Tether’s decision to freeze 32 addresses suspected of being connected to war and criminal activities? We invite you to share your perspectives on this topic in the comments section below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Blockchain Traceability
What is Tether’s recent action regarding frozen addresses?
Tether, a major stablecoin issuer, has frozen 32 addresses associated with alleged criminal and war-related activities in Ukraine and Israel.
How is Tether collaborating with international agencies?
Tether collaborates with a network of 31 governmental bodies across 19 global jurisdictions to combat illicit activities and theft related to cryptocurrencies.
What does Tether emphasize about blockchain transactions?
Tether highlights the traceability of blockchain transactions as a powerful tool against unsanctioned activities, emphasizing that cryptocurrency transactions are not anonymous.
Who is Tether’s current CEO, and what organizational shift recently occurred?
Paolo Ardoino is Tether’s current CEO, with Jean-Louis van der Velde transitioning to an advisory position in the organization.
What is the market capitalization of Tether?
As of now, Tether’s market capitalization is $83.90 billion, constituting 68% of the $123 billion stablecoin market.
More about Blockchain Traceability
- Tether Official Website
- Tether’s Role in Combating Crime
- Blockchain Traceability and Security
- Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino
- Stablecoin Market Overview
4 comments
Paolo Ardoino new CEO, that’s big news. Congrats, dude!
Blockchain, super secu’ but not anonymous. Bad guys, watch out!
Tether freezin’ dodgy addresses, gud move 2 stop crimes. But, how dey doin’ it?
Tether rules da stablecoin world, $83.90 bil, that’s cray-cray!