On September 13, financial media outlet The Wall Street Journal published an article revealing that the cryptocurrency company Tether (USDT) might be undermining the global sanctions regime of the United States and its allies. The report showed that in 2023, the amount of funds flowing through Tether was almost equal to that through Visa cards, with an annual net profit of $6.2 billion, exceeding the net income of ordinary shareholders at asset management giant BlackRock ($5.5 billion). However, Tether has only about 100 employees, far fewer than the massive team size at BlackRock. The article further stated that while Tether conducts identity checks on direct customers, its large secondary market is not adequately regulated, becoming one of the channels for illegal funds to flow. The United Nations emphasized in a report issued in January that USDT had become the preferred tool for money laundering activities in Southeast Asia, further highlighting the severity of regulatory challenges in the cryptocurrency sector.