AMLHow to check USDC (Circle) for AML and sanctions
Updated: 25 August 2026 · sources: OFAC, Chainalysis, TRM, Tether/Circle blacklists
Before you accept USDC, screen the sender. Like USDT, USDC can be frozen by its issuer — Circle blacklists addresses on-chain at the request of law enforcement, and the freeze is often retroactive.
USDC is a regulated stablecoin, and that cuts both ways: Circle can and does block addresses directly in the contract, so USDC on a blacklisted (or linked) address becomes unspendable. If the USDC you receive traces to a sanctioned, frozen or theft address, an exchange can hold your deposit too — after you’ve already accepted it.
How to check USDC in seconds
- Copy the sender’s address or a transaction hash.
- Paste it into the form below or send it to our Telegram bot.
- Get a verdict — ● low / ● medium / ● high risk — with the reasons, in seconds.
What we check for USDC
OFAC sanctions, the on-chain Circle blacklist, mixer / theft labels, the TRM risk score and the graph — a consensus of independent sources. High risk means a close link to sanctions, a Circle-frozen address or a known theft.
Why it matters for P2P and OTC
For P2P and OTC this is the real USDC risk: the freeze can land after you accept. Screening the sender — or the transaction that pays you — takes seconds; appealing a frozen exchange deposit takes weeks.
FAQ
Do I need to connect a wallet?
No. A public address or a transaction hash is enough — never a seed phrase or a wallet connection. We never touch your funds.
Can Circle really freeze my USDC?
Circle can blacklist an address directly in the USDC contract, which freezes the tokens on it. Direct exposure is high risk; we also show indirect exposure — how many hops away it is and what share of the flow.
Can I check by transaction hash?
Yes. We resolve the sender from the hash (EVM / TRON / BTC / XRP) and screen that address.