FATF Recognizes T3 FCU’s Role in Combating Illicit Activity on Blockchain Networks

Geneva, Switzerland, January 8, 2026 — TRON DAO, the community-governed DAO dedicated to accelerating the decentralization of the internet through blockchain technology and decentralized applications (dApps), welcomes the recognition of the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU) in a recent report published by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). As a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, FATF helps set international standards and drive policy aimed to prevent these illegal activities and the harm they cause to society through national legislative and regulatory reforms. In its latest publication, FATF recognized the T3 FCU as a prime example of an effective public-private collaboration to combat illicit activity on the blockchain, highlighting the initiative’s comprehensive monitoring capability, which enables T3 FCU to work across borders, identifying and disrupting criminal operations in real-time, making it an invaluable resource for law enforcement agencies worldwide.

T3 FCU is a first-of-its-kind public-private initiative launched by TRON, Tether, and TRM Labs in September 2024 to combat illicit activities on the blockchain. This groundbreaking public-private partnership works directly with law enforcement agencies around the globe to identify and disrupt criminal networks. Since its inception, and in just over one year, T3 FCU has frozen more than $300 million in criminal assets across five continents, established rapid response capabilities to address threats, and demonstrated how industry collaboration can effectively combat financial crime while supporting blockchain innovation. 

In its report, the Financial Action Task Force noted that the T3 FCU “is designed to expand public-private collaboration to combat illicit activities on the blockchain” and highlighted the unit’s role in supporting law enforcement efforts across multiple jurisdictions. The report further detailed that, since its launch in September 2024, T3 FCU has analyzed millions of transactions globally, monitored more than $3 billion USD in total volume, and supported the freezing of over $250 million USD in illicit assets.

“FATF’s recognition of the T3 Financial Crime Unit reflects a real shift in how illicit finance on public blockchains is being addressed,” said Ari Redbord, VP, Global Head of Policy and Government Affairs at TRM Labs. “Criminal networks move fast, and effective responses have to move faster. T3 was built to enable rapid identification, seizure, and disruption of illicit activity. This is not about information sharing alone — it’s about coordinated action. T3 shows how law enforcement, stablecoin issuers, and blockchain intelligence can work together to stop harm quickly, at scale, and in ways that were not possible before.”

In a recent blog post examining the FATF’s asset recovery guidance and best practices, TRM Labs notes a shift toward real-time interdiction, observing that traditional post-investigation recovery models are increasingly ineffective for fast-moving virtual assets. It emphasizes the importance of coordinated public-private action, supported by blockchain intelligence and close collaboration among law enforcement, virtual asset service providers, and stablecoin issuers, to identify, restrain, and disrupt illicit funds before they can be dispersed, underscoring the growing role of operational models that enable timely cross-border enforcement.

The FATF’s recognition affirms T3 FCU as an industry-first model of how blockchain-based systems can reinforce global financial integrity through structured collaboration with public authorities. It further reinforces TRON DAO’s commitment to responsible blockchain adoption and effective financial crime prevention, serving as meaningful validation of coordinated, cross-sector efforts to address illicit activity at scale as regulators continue to evaluate the role of public blockchains in the global financial system.

About TRON DAO

TRON DAO is a community-governed DAO dedicated to accelerating the decentralization of the internet via blockchain technology and dApps.

Founded in September 2017 by H.E. Justin Sun, the TRON blockchain has experienced significant growth since its MainNet launch in May 2018. Until recently, TRON hosted the largest circulating supply of USD Tether (USDT) stablecoin, which currently exceeds $80 billion. As of January 2026, the TRON blockchain has recorded over 358 million in total user accounts, more than 12 billion in total transactions, and over $25 billion in total value locked (TVL), based on TRONSCAN. Recognized as the global settlement layer for stablecoin transactions and everyday purchases with proven success, TRON is “Moving Trillions, Empowering Billions.”

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