Tether commits to freezing assets as Venezuela turns to cryptocurrency to evade oil sanctions

💵 Tether has committed to blocking payments to OFAC-sanctioned entities after reports that 🇻🇪 Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, has been using its USDT stablecoin to circumvent U.S. sanctions.

➡️ This move comes in response to a Reuters report highlighting PDVSA's use of cryptocurrencies to facilitate oil and fuel exports amid renewed 🇺🇸 U.S. sanctions.

👀 These sanctions, reintroduced due to Venezuela's lack of electoral reforms, require PDVSA's international customers and suppliers to cease transactions by May 31.

✔️As a result, PDVSA has shifted its oil sales to USDT to prevent its funds from being frozen in international accounts.