Tether says it would not freeze sanctioned Tornado Cash addresses unless instructed by law enforcement

On Wednesday, U.S. greenback stablecoin issuer Tether (USDT) said that it could not freeze good contract addresses sanctioned by the U.S. Workplace of Overseas Property (OFAC) Management’s Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Individuals (SDN) record for cryptocurrency trail-mixer Twister Money. In explaining the choice, Tether stated: 

“To date, OFAC has not indicated {that a} stablecoin issuer is anticipated to freeze secondary market addresses which can be revealed on OFAC’s SDN Listing or which can be operated by individuals and entities which have been sanctioned by OFAC. Additional, no U.S. legislation enforcement company or regulator has made such a request regardless of our near-daily contact with U.S. legislation enforcement whose requests all the time present exact particulars.”

Tether identified that unilaterally freezing pockets or good contract addresses may very well be a “extremely disruptive” and “reckless” transfer. “It might alert suspects of an impending legislation enforcement investigation, trigger liquidations or abandonment of funds and jeopardize additional proof gathering,” the issuer stated.

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All U.S. individuals and entities are prohibited from interacting with the digital foreign money mixer’s USDC and Ethereum good contract addresses on the SDN record, topic to stiff prison penalties for violation. Nonetheless, Tether is a Hong Kong-based issuer and neither onboards U.S. individuals as prospects nor conducts enterprise in the USA, though it voluntarily follows sure U.S. rules as part of compliance.

Tether additionally expressed reservations concerning USD Coin issuer Circle’s determination to unilaterally freeze Twister Money good contract addresses earlier this month. “If made with out directions from U.S. authorities, the transfer by USDC to blacklist Twister Money good contracts was untimely and may need jeopardized the work of different regulators and legislation enforcement businesses all over the world,” says Tether. The agency factors out that different stablecoin issuers based mostly within the U.S., resembling Paxos and Dai, didn’t freeze any Twister Money wallets. The sanctions went into impact on August 8.