Tether Partners with United Nations to Combat Cybercrime and Support Trafficking Victims in Africa

Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, announced a major partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on January 9, 2026.

The partnership addresses urgent needs in Africa, which has become the third-fastest-growing cryptocurrency region globally. According to Chainalysis data, Sub-Saharan Africa received over $205 billion in on-chain value between July 2024 and June 2025, marking a 52% increase from the previous year.

Rising Cybercrime Creates Urgent Need

The collaboration comes after a major law enforcement operation exposed the scale of crypto-related crime on the continent. INTERPOL’s Operation Catalyst, conducted between July and September 2025, uncovered $260 million in illicit cryptocurrency and fiat currency across six African countries.

The operation led to 83 arrests, including 21 people charged with terrorism-related crimes, 28 with financial fraud and money laundering, 16 with cyber-enabled scams, and 18 with illegal use of virtual assets. Investigators identified 160 additional persons of interest and seized $600,000, with investigations continuing to recover more funds.

Source: @tether

One particularly severe case involved a massive cryptocurrency-based Ponzi scheme that disguised itself as a legitimate trading platform. The fraudulent operation affected over 100,000 victims across at least 17 countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, and Kenya, stealing an estimated $562 million. Several high-value crypto wallets linked to this scheme showed potential connections to terrorism financing activities.

Three Programs Target Education and Protection

Through this partnership, Tether will support the UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa 2030, which focuses on strengthening crime prevention, enhancing justice, and addressing organized crime across the continent. The collaboration includes three distinct initiatives.

The Senegal Project centers on cybersecurity education for young people through a multi-phase program. It includes learning opportunities, bootcamps, and sessions provided by the Plan B Foundation, a collaboration between Tether and the City of Lugano. Participants receive coaching, mentorship, and micro-grants to develop their projects and ideas. This represents a tripartite partnership bringing together the United Nations, the private sector, and Senegalese authorities to support Senegal’s Digital New Deal.

The Africa Project funds civil society organizations that provide direct assistance and protection to human trafficking victims. These groups operate across Senegal, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Uganda. They offer protection services and recovery assistance while working to reduce the economic vulnerabilities that often enable exploitation.

The Papua New Guinea Project partners with the University of Papua New Guinea and the University of Solomon Islands. The program raises youth awareness about financial inclusion and digital asset fraud prevention. It includes a student competition focused on developing blockchain solutions for financial inclusion and crime prevention, incentivizing innovation among university students.

Industry and UN Leaders Support Initiative

Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, emphasized the need for coordinated action. “Supporting victims of human trafficking and helping prevent exploitation requires coordinated action across sectors,” he stated. “Through our collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, we’re backing initiatives that combine innovation and education to empower communities and help create safer, more inclusive opportunities for those who need them most.”

Sylvie Bertrand, UNODC Regional Representative for West and Central Africa, highlighted the transformative potential of digital assets. “Digital assets are reshaping how the world engages with money and play a vital role in unlocking Africa’s development potential, while contributing to the United Nations peace and security agenda,” she said. “I am excited by the prospect of a tripartite partnership, bringing together the United Nations, the private sector, and Senegalese authorities.”

Africa’s Growing Crypto Adoption Drives Security Needs

Africa’s rapid cryptocurrency adoption has created both opportunities and vulnerabilities. The continent’s crypto market growth stems from several factors, including limited access to traditional banking services, currency devaluation, and the need for cross-border payment solutions.

Small-value transfers form the foundation of this expansion. Over 8% of all on-chain value transferred in Sub-Saharan Africa consisted of transactions under $10,000, significantly higher than the global average of 6%. This highlights deep grassroots adoption where digital assets integrate into everyday financial activities.

Nigeria leads the region with $92.1 billion in received value over the twelve-month period, nearly three times that of South Africa. The country’s scale ties not only to its large population and tech-savvy youth but also to persistent inflation and foreign currency access issues that have made stablecoins an attractive alternative.

Stablecoins, particularly USDT, play a crucial role in the region. They account for approximately 43% of total crypto transaction volume in Sub-Saharan Africa, serving as a digital dollar substitute for savings and informal foreign exchange access in economies facing stark disparities between official and black market rates.

Moving Forward Together

The Tether-UNODC partnership represents a significant step toward creating safer digital financial infrastructure in Africa. By combining blockchain technology expertise with the United Nations’ established networks and local partnerships, the initiative addresses cybersecurity threats while supporting economic inclusion and protecting vulnerable populations from exploitation. Tether’s financial strength, with $13 billion in net profits for 2024 and serving over 500 million users worldwide, positions the company to make meaningful contributions to these critical initiatives across the continent.