T3 Financial Crime Unit Expands with Binance After Seizing $250M in Illicit Crypto
The T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU) — a joint initiative by Tron, Tether, and TRM Labs — has frozen over $250 million in illicit cryptocurrency assets since launching in September 2024, more than doubling its total from the first six months of operations. The group announced a major expansion with the launch of its T3+ program, bringing Binance on board as its first exchange partner.
Designed as a public-private partnership, the T3 FCU works with law enforcement agencies worldwide to trace and disrupt blockchain-based crimes, including money laundering, investment fraud, blackmail, and terrorism financing.
T3+ Program Expands Global Collaboration
The new T3+ program will enlist exchanges, financial institutions, and industry stakeholders to share intelligence and respond to threats in real time. Tron founder Justin Sun said the move aims to “expand the scope of collaboration across the blockchain industry to better address illicit activity in real time.”
Crypto Hacks Are Getting Faster — and Harder to Stop
The expansion comes amid a surge in fast-moving, highly sophisticated hacks. A report by Swiss blockchain analytics firm Global Ledger revealed that over $3 billion in crypto was stolen in the first half of 2025.
Key findings include:
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Some hacks completed laundering in under 3 minutes.
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Over 30% of laundering took place within 24 hours.
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Average time to move stolen funds: 15 hours.
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In 23% of cases, crypto was fully laundered before the breach was even disclosed.
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Recovery rate in H1 2025: just 4.2%.
Roughly 15% of illicit crypto passed through centralized exchanges, where compliance teams often have just 10–15 minutes to intercept suspicious transactions before funds vanish.
Many attacks have been attributed to state-sponsored hacking groups and international cybercrime syndicates, complicating recovery efforts. One recent incident allegedly exposed the tactics of a North Korean cyber-espionage unit targeting global crypto platforms.
The Debate Over Freezing Funds
While T3 FCU’s results have been praised, the involvement of stablecoin issuers and centralized exchanges in freezing assets has sparked debate. Critics argue it undermines decentralization and user sovereignty, while supporters see it as a necessary tool to combat crime.
In July, Tether froze nearly $86,000 in stolen USDt, reigniting the discussion. CEO Paolo Ardoino defended the practice, saying, “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.”
