Tron, Tether, and Chainalysis launched the Digital Crime Task Force to detect and disrupt illicit activity involving Tether's USDT on the Tron blockchain as criminals increasingly deploy artificial intelligence, according to The Block. The three companies plan to pool intelligence and coordinate with law enforcement to freeze stolen assets before criminals move them. The initiative responds to data showing AI-enabled scams proved 4.5 times more profitable than conventional schemes in 2025 while impersonation scams rose more than 1,400% year over year, and follows the collapse of the T3 Financial Crime Unit that disbanded over slow response times and weak coordination.
The task force aims to shorten the gap between detecting a threat and acting on it, according to a statement shared with The Block. Tron founder Justin Sun said millions of people use Tether USDT on Tron to support their families and run their businesses, and that protections must expand as digital finance reaches more users. Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that criminals now use AI to move faster than before, and that "waiting for a victim to report a crime is no longer good enough."
Tether says it has frozen more than $7 billion linked to illicit activity while working with more than 360 law enforcement agencies across 73 countries. Chainalysis, which already monitors USDT transactions for Tether, will provide intelligence support for the new alliance.
T3 Financial Crime Unit Disbanded Over Coordination Issues
The Digital Crime Task Force replaces the T3 Financial Crime Unit, an alliance Tron, Tether, and TRM Labs formed in 2024. Bloomberg reported earlier this month, according to The Block, that the T3 group disbanded over slow response times and weak coordination among its members.
The collapse of the previous alliance preceded the formation of the new task force, which incorporates Chainalysis in place of TRM Labs. The statement shared with The Block did not specify when the T3 unit officially ended operations.
AI-Enabled Scams Show 4.5x Profitability Increase in 2025
Chainalysis said in the statement that AI-enabled scams proved 4.5 times more profitable than conventional schemes in 2025, while impersonation scams rose more than 1,400% year over year. The data underscores the acceleration of criminal activity that prompted the task force formation.
Ardoino emphasized that the speed of AI-powered attacks requires proactive enforcement rather than reactive measures. The task force structure prioritizes real-time intelligence sharing to enable asset freezes before stolen funds move across blockchains.
Task Force Targets Scams, Hacks, and State-Sponsored Attacks
The group plans to pursue investment and romance scams, hacks, terrorist financing, and North Korean cyberattacks. Recent incidents demonstrate the scope of threats on the Tron network.
TRM Labs tied the Binance hack, a theft of about $6.36 billion across ten blockchains, to North Korea's TraderTraitor group with high confidence, and Chainalysis assessed the same group likely carried it out. The attacker moved about $242 million through Tron, where Tether froze roughly $378.7 million in USDT linked to the attack.
Across, a crosschain interoperability protocol, suffered a domain takeover earlier this week before resuming normal operations, and blockchain infrastructure provider Chainstack disclosed an AI-powered breach late last month that exposed customer names, emails, and password hashes, The Block reported.
After the Mercado Bitcoin hack, Chainalysis said it coordinated with law enforcement and token issuers and helped freeze nearly $10 million, including more than $9 million in USDT through Tether.
Ardoino said on October 19 that wallet freezes cut Iran-linked USDT activity by 94% and that Tether acted before Chainalysis flagged the addresses in 99% of relevant cases. The claims answered a Senate subcommittee staff report, and Tether has not published the data behind the 94% figure.
FAQ
What is the Digital Crime Task Force?
The Digital Crime Task Force is a joint initiative launched by Tron, Tether, and Chainalysis to detect and disrupt illicit activity involving Tether's USDT on the Tron blockchain. The three companies pool intelligence and work with law enforcement to freeze stolen assets before criminals move them.
Why did Tron, Tether, and Chainalysis form this task force?
The task force responds to the increasing use of artificial intelligence by criminals. Chainalysis data shows AI-enabled scams proved 4.5 times more profitable than conventional schemes in 2025, while impersonation scams rose more than 1,400% year over year. The initiative also follows the collapse of the previous T3 Financial Crime Unit, which disbanded over slow response times and weak coordination.
What types of criminal activity will the task force target?
The group plans to pursue investment and romance scams, hacks, terrorist financing, and North Korean cyberattacks. Recent cases include the Binance hack, where Tether froze roughly $378.7 million in USDT linked to the attack, and the Mercado Bitcoin hack, where Chainalysis helped freeze nearly $10 million including more than $9 million in USDT.
