Tether has entered a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to support cybersecurity and digital asset crime prevention efforts across Africa, as authorities warn of rising misuse of crypto-related technologies on the continent.
The collaboration is designed to enhance technical capacity, improve financial transparency, and strengthen legal and cybersecurity frameworks as digital asset adoption accelerates in African markets. The initiative aligns with UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa 2030, which focuses on securing digital infrastructure while supporting sustainable economic development.
The move follows a series of coordinated enforcement actions by international and regional agencies that have uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit funds tied to fraud, cyber-enabled scams, and terrorism financing. Investigators say many of the cases involved complex cross-border networks exploiting weaknesses in digital systems.
UNODC officials said the growing role of virtual assets in criminal activity has increased the urgency for cooperation between governments, international organizations, and private-sector technology providers.
As part of the partnership, Tether will contribute technical expertise and resources aimed at improving cybersecurity awareness and strengthening financial and legal systems across participating jurisdictions. The collaboration also includes support for public education initiatives and institutional capacity-building programs.
The initiative places particular emphasis on Africa’s expanding digital economy, where rapid adoption of mobile payments and crypto assets has outpaced the development of regulatory and security infrastructure in some regions.
Tether executives said the partnership reflects a broader effort to apply blockchain expertise toward crime prevention and victim protection, while supporting inclusive digital growth. UN officials emphasized that collaboration between global institutions and private-sector firms will be critical to addressing increasingly sophisticated cybercrime threats.
The partnership marks one of the most prominent engagements to date between a major stablecoin issuer and a UN agency focused on financial crime, underscoring the expanding role of crypto firms in global security and compliance efforts.
