How do I check whether a crypto wallet address is sanctioned or frozen?
Check two layers. First, official sanctions lists: the US OFAC SDN list, EU and UK OFSI lists are all free to search. Second, on-chain freeze status: USDT and USDC issuers can freeze an address directly, which never shows up on a sanctions list and must be read from the issuer contract. OceanAlt combines both into one free lookup: enter an address and it screens sanctions, issuer freeze lists, mixer and scam databases at once, with clickable evidence for every hit. No signup.
The free way
Official route: sanctionssearch.ofac.treas.gov searches addresses directly and is the authority on US sanctions, but it covers only the US list and knows nothing about issuer freezes.
One combined lookup: OceanAlt's free check (oceanalt.com/en/check) screens sanctions lists, USDT/USDC issuer freeze lists, mixer and scam databases in one pass, across 8 EVM chains plus Tron, Solana and Bitcoin. Every verdict carries source links you can open and verify yourself. There is also a keyless API: GET oceanalt.com/api/risk?addr=0x…
When you need an institutional tool
If you are a licensed institution needing full transaction monitoring and regulatory reporting, subscription platforms like Chainalysis, TRM Labs and Elliptic are the industry standard, typically at tens of thousands of dollars per year. For individuals and small teams, a free lookup covers most situations.
One boundary worth remembering: a "clear" result from any tool means no match in the data it holds, never that the address is guaranteed safe.
Where to start: free address check · API docs · watch an address
Boundary of everything above: a screening "clear" only means no match in the data held, never a safety guarantee; this page is not legal or compliance advice.