Regulation News

Tether Freezes $131M in USDT Stablecoin in Iran-Linked Tron Wallets as Middle East Conflict Escalates

Nana K.
15 July 2026 2 min read
BTC LIVE
BTC price on Jul 15, 2026 at 9am EDT
$64,800 or above 1.23x 81%
$64,900 or above 2.04x 49%

USDT$0.9991 issuer Tether has frozen four crypto wallets on the Tron network. US authorities confirmed the addresses are linked to Iran’s Central Bank.

The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had placed four crypto addresses on its sanctions list. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the agency intends to “aggressively track financial flows and deny the Iranian regime access to revenues from its illicit schemes.

Hot topic: BTC Price Hits Three-Week High Above $65,000 — What Drove Bitcoin on July 15

Tether froze the four addresses on Tron. In total, they held $131 million in USDT stablecoin.

The move coincided with renewed US-Iran military action: Washington announced a new wave of strikes and the reimposition of a blockade on Iranian ports.

Contents

How the USDT Freeze Happened and Who Controlled the Wallets

On-chain analyst Specter first reported the freeze, noting that the funds on the four addresses came from payment provider DTC Pay and exchange Bitso. According to OFAC, these crypto wallets are linked to the IRGC and Iran’s Central Bank.

The frozen amounts broke down as follows:

  • TXGHxdYbGy574z5hBu4LNzq9NzjZQ9bhUf — $12.3M
  • TJdgB1k6ot3f2nLuZug6D8eD3HavTmzmSK — $30.96M
  • TAhwhFv3JpK39Nc2m8W5LPCcoTisutiRfp — $1.28M
  • TFQbqaNbmq2xsVor2NbufLkYZvxFC9wC7k — $85.47M

The OFAC sanctions list was updated on July 14, 2026, adding six addresses–four of which contained frozen assets. Tether moved quickly to block the funds, consistent with its policy of cooperating with law enforcement.

Read more: Not Just USDT and USDC — These Top 3 New Stablecoins Are Quietly Taking Over Crypto in 2026

Geopolitical Context: US-Iran Conflict Escalates

The freeze came amid a sharp escalation in the US-Iran conflict. The June ceasefire has collapsed.

The US has reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports, and CENTCOM announced a new wave of strikes near the Strait of Hormuz. The IRGC responded by striking US support facilities in Kuwait, a base in Jordan, and US Fifth Fleet assets in Bahrain.

Bessent emphasized that “the Treasury will not tolerate any support for the Iranian military” and will continue using all tools to cut off the regime’s financial channels.

Learn more: USDT vs EU Regulation — Why Tether Is Facing Legal and Compliance Challenges in Europe

Nana K.

Crypto journalist and content creator specializing in market analytics, regulatory developments, and the social impact of cryptocurrency. With experience at BeInCrypto and Cointelegraph, she covers both breaking news and creative…