Justin Sun, founder of Tron. Photographer: Joseph Nair/Bloomberg

Tron, the decentralized autonomous organization behind the namesake blockchain; Tether Tether , issuer of the USDT stablecoin; and TRM Labs, a San Francisco-based blockchain intelligence firm, have joined forces to form the T3 Financial Crime Unit (T3 FCU)—a strategic alliance focused on curbing illicit activity tied to USDT on the Tron blockchain.

“Our goal is to create a safer, more secure crypto community, setting a new standard for the industry,” says Tron founder Justin Sun.

Stablecoins like USDT are the lifeblood of crypto markets, providing the liquidity that fuels everything from everyday transactions to institutional trades. But with a market cap exceeding $118 billion and more than half of USDT’s supply running on Tron, this scale and ease of use have made it a magnet for malicious actors. The T3 FCU aims to disrupt those activities by leveraging data, technology, and a deep collaboration with law enforcement.

TRM Labs CEO Esteban Castaño notes the effort is an extension of a long-standing partnership. “We were the first blockchain intelligence company to start mapping illicit activity on Tron—we've been partnering on that front since 2019, but this initiative takes that even further,” he says. “Tron is also making a significant investment........

© Forbes