The funds were seized during an investigation into an international hacker group accused of laundering proceeds from data theft through high-value property.
By Francisco Rodrigues, AI Boost|Edited by Aoyon Ashraf Jun 29, 2026, 2:03 p.m. 2 min readMake preferred on ShareShare this articleCopy linkX (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookEmailMake preferred on SummaryShow- ARMA has received $8.3 million in USDT, marking a historic first for Ukraine in the management of seized cryptocurrency.
- The funds were obtained during a probe into an international hacking group accused of laundering data theft proceeds via luxury assets.
- This transaction aligns with initiatives to establish a potential cryptocurrency reserve.
According to Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office, the country has successfully transferred seized cryptocurrency into state management for the first time.
The office disclosed that over $8.3 million worth of USDT was sent to the National Agency for Finding, Tracing and Management of Assets (ARMA), which is responsible for handling property confiscated in criminal investigations.
This transfer coincides with Ukraine's efforts to potentially set up a crypto reserve. Between mid-2024 and mid-2025, the nation ranked fourth in Europe with a transaction volume of $206.3 billion, according to data from Chainalysis. This strategy mirrors that of the U.S., where a previous executive order indicated that a strategic reserve would utilize crypto forfeited from criminal and civil cases instead of being acquired from the market.
The transfer was executed under a court directive following an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation. The total amount equals approximately 372 million Ukrainian hryvnias, as noted by Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
“This marks the first instance of seized crypto assets being officially handed over to state management,” the statement indicated. The assets originated from wallets linked to a member of the suspected hacker group.
It is important to note that while ARMA has custody of these digital assets, it does not have ownership. The USDT is held in a wallet controlled by ARMA but has not yet been formally confiscated, a process that requires a conviction. Although ARMA manages seized real estate and vehicles, it has not previously included cryptocurrency in its portfolio.
Authorities allege that the hacking group targeted individuals and businesses in Europe and the U.S., stealing confidential data, demanding ransoms, and laundering their gains in Ukraine through properties, vehicles, and other high-value assets.
Four individuals, including the alleged leader, have been arrested and are currently in custody, with no convictions yet. Investigators assess the damages caused by the group's activities to exceed $100 million.
To date, assets valued over $11.1 million have been seized, comprising real estate, vehicles, $1 million in cash, and virtual assets totaling more than $8.3 million.
CryptocurrencyAI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.Latest Crypto News- 1Ripple wants institutions to borrow against tokenized assets on XRPL2 minutes ago
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