T3

A powerful blockchain crime-fighting alliance has frozen more than $250 million in illicit crypto assets in under a year — and now it’s getting even bigger.
The T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU), formed in September 2024 by Tron, Tether, and TRM Labs, is stepping up its efforts against hacks, fraud, and money laundering by adding Binance as the first partner under its new T3+ program.
The unit says its $250 million seizure milestone more than doubles the $100 million it reported in January, proving the growing scale — and urgency, of its mission. Working alongside law enforcement agencies across the globe, T3 FCU has helped disrupt cases involving money laundering, investment scams, extortion schemes, terrorist financing, and other blockchain-based crimes.
A Faster, Smarter Crime Network
The expansion comes at a time when crypto crime is becoming faster and more sophisticated. A Global Ledger report revealed that over $3 billion in crypto was stolen in just the first half of 2025, with hackers moving funds at unprecedented speeds.
In some cases, laundering was completed in under three minutes. Around 30% of stolen funds were laundered within 24 hours, and nearly a quarter were fully moved before the breach was even made public.
This speed leaves little room for recovery — only 4.2% of stolen funds were recovered in H1 2025.
Centralized exchanges remain a key chokepoint for crime prevention, but they face a narrow window. Compliance teams often have just 10–15 minutes to flag and freeze suspicious transactions before the money disappears.
Nation-State Hackers in the Mix
Many attacks trace back to state-sponsored groups, organized cybercrime networks, and offshore fraud operations, making enforcement far more complex.
Earlier this week, hackers claimed to have compromised a major North Korean cyber-espionage program, leaking details of strategies allegedly used to infiltrate global crypto platforms, a reminder that geopolitical actors are deeply involved in the crypto crime ecosystem.
Power and Controversy Over Fund Freezes
While T3 FCU’s results are significant, the growing use of stablecoin issuer freezes remains controversial.
In July, Tether froze nearly $86,000 in stolen USDT, reigniting debate over centralization in crypto. Supporters argue that such powers are essential for stopping crime; critics warn they undermine the decentralization principles the industry was built on.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stands firmly in the former camp:
“Bad actors have nowhere to hide on the blockchain. It’s only through collective effort that we can build a safer, more trusted environment for users worldwide.”
The Road Ahead
With Binance now on board, the T3+ program is expected to expand intelligence sharing and real-time threat response across exchanges, payment platforms, and financial institutions worldwide.
The goal? To make it harder, and riskier — for crypto criminals to operate. And with hacks getting faster every month, the race to stop them is on.
#Binance #CryptoCrime #T3

The Spanish government has just announced the arrest of 23 individuals and the seizure of $26.4 million thanks to the support from the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU). This is the largest bust of T3 to date, dismantling a transnational financial crime network in Europe.
The Largest Arrest by T3 FCU
According to a statement from the T3 Financial Crime Unit, this organization has helped Spanish authorities freeze $26.4 million related to a European financial crime organization. This is noted as the largest asset seizure the group has participated in since its inception last year. To date, T3 has frozen $126 million.