Tether & UN Partner to Secure Africa’s Digital Future

• Illicit Funds Uncovered: An Interpol-led operation, named Operation Catalyst, conducted between July and September 2025, uncovered $260 million in illicit cryptocurrency and fiat currency across six African countries.
• Arrests Made: The same Interpol operation led to 83 arrests, with 21 individuals 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.
• Africa’s Crypto Growth: Africa is identified as the third-fastest-growing cryptocurrency region globally. Sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, received over $205 billion in on-chain value between July 2024 and June 2025, a 52% increase year-over-year, according to Chainalysis data.
• Stablecoin Dominance: Stablecoins, particularly USDT, account for approximately 43% of total crypto transaction volume in Sub-Saharan Africa, often serving as a digital dollar substitute amidst currency devaluation.

This partnership signifies a maturing phase for the crypto industry, where key players like Tether are actively engaging with intergovernmental bodies to address systemic challenges. For Tether, this collaboration extends its influence beyond stablecoin issuance into critical areas of global digital security and humanitarian aid, aligning its brand with efforts to foster legitimate and secure digital asset adoption. The focus on Africa is particularly insightful, given its rapid crypto growth driven by factors like limited access to traditional banking and currency devaluation, which simultaneously create fertile ground for scams and illicit finance. By supporting the UNODC’s Strategic Vision for Africa 2030, Tether is investing in the long-term health and credibility of the digital asset space on the continent.

While the initiative is commendable, the scale of the challenge in Africa is immense. The $260 million in illicit funds is a stark reminder of the sophisticated criminal networks at play, and this figure likely represents only a fraction of the total illicit activity. Critics might argue that a single private entity, even one as large as Tether, can only do so much to counter deep-seated issues like weak regulatory frameworks and limited cybersecurity infrastructure across an entire continent. Furthermore, the very nature of stablecoins, while offering financial utility, has also been highlighted by the UN as a tool sometimes used by organized crime groups for illicit activities like human trafficking and fraud. This partnership, therefore, also serves as an opportunity for Tether to directly counter these narratives by demonstrating its commitment to combating misuse.

Investors and market observers should monitor the tangible outcomes of the specific initiatives. The multi-phase cybersecurity education program for youth in Senegal, including boot camps and micro-grants, will be a key indicator of success in capacity building. Similarly, the effectiveness of funding civil society organizations supporting human trafficking victims in countries like Nigeria, DRC, Malawi, Ethiopia, and Uganda will demonstrate the partnership’s humanitarian impact. Beyond these immediate projects, I’ll be watching for broader policy shifts and regulatory developments that might emerge from the insights gained through this collaboration, particularly regarding financial inclusion and digital asset fraud prevention in regions like Papua New Guinea.

• Tether and UNODC are actively working to build safer digital ecosystems in Africa, a region experiencing rapid crypto adoption but also high vulnerability to cybercrime.
• The partnership addresses critical needs identified by a recent Interpol operation that uncovered significant illicit crypto and fiat flows.
• Key initiatives include youth cybersecurity education in Senegal, support for human trafficking victims across multiple African nations, and financial inclusion programs in Papua New Guinea.
• This collaboration reflects a growing trend of private sector involvement in global governance challenges related to digital assets.
• The success of these programs could set a precedent for how stablecoin issuers engage with international bodies to combat illicit finance and promote secure digital development.