Key Insights
- ZachXBT recently revealed a leaked price sheet linking 200+ influencers to undisclosed promotions.
- Over 160 accepted payments were made, but fewer than five marked their posts as ads.
- Wallet addresses now make it easier to track suspicious activity tied to promotions.
A major leak has revealed that 160 crypto influencers recently promoted projects without proper disclosure.
Blockchain investigator ZachXBT published screenshots on X this week, showing usernames, wallet addresses and pricing for hundreds of influencers contacted by an unnamed project.
Out of more than 200 listed accounts, over 160 accepted the deals. Yet fewer than five of them flagged their posts as paid promotions.
How the Price Sheet Broke Down
The document listed every influencer’s handle, their promotional rate and the wallet address where funds were sent. Each was ranked in tiers from high to low.
Crypto influencer Atity topped the list of tier 1 influencers with a $60,000 rate for one post. Sibeleth charged $40,000, while Eddy asked $12,000 for six tweets. MediaGiratfes was priced at $10,000 for two posts.
None of these marked their content as ads.
Influencers like Otrew, NotEezzy, and OfficialSkyweel were in the mid-tier range and charged between $4,000 and $5,000. Most offered bundles of two or three posts at discounted rates.
Finally, many smaller accounts, such as CryptoCradle and Web3Daily, priced posts around $1,500 to $1,800. Even here, wallet addresses were visible and linked to the transactions.
This range of pricing shows how projects tap into different audience sizes. It also shows the lack of clear disclosure across every level of influence.
Why This Leak Matters
The crypto industry has long struggled with transparency. DeFi and trading communities rely heavily on influencer-driven hype. When promotions go undisclosed, retail investors are left misled and often buy into tokens at inflated prices or even suffer losses.
According to the FBI, Americans lost $9.3 billion to crypto-related crime last year alone.
Scam-related activity has proven more damaging than hacks, as shown in multiple crime reports. Many scams now spread through social platforms like Telegram, where influencers are one of the top builders of hype.
On-Chain Tracking and Trading Takeaways
While this trend is worrying, the leak offers traders an unexpected tool. Now that wallet addresses have been exposed, on-chain analysis is more possible than ever. Traders can track suspicious transfers, especially movements to exchanges after promotional posts.
This gives investors a way to spot possible pump-and-dump behaviour. If an influencer’s wallet shows token accumulation before promotion and heavy selling afterward, the risk of manipulation becomes clear.
ZachXBT indicated that traders should treat the leaked list as a watchlist. Tracking flows tied to promoted tokens can help analysts detect coordinated moves across multiple accounts.
Regulatory Pressure Builds
Regulators have already been stepping up oversight. The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework and the GENIUS Act are both pushing to bring transparency to crypto markets.
Yet enforcement is limited because of the decentralized structure of the industry.
Leaks like this could increase calls for stricter rules. If regulators decide that undisclosed promotions fall under false advertising, these influencers may face heavy penalties.
For now, the lack of disclosure continues to feed distrust. Public perception of crypto continues to be clouded by fraud and scams, and scandals like this one make progress harder.
The Bigger Picture for Crypto Transparency
The influencer leak confirms what many suspected. Paid promotion in crypto often goes unreported. It also shows how deep-rooted undisclosed ads are in trading culture.
If the industry intends to mature, influencers and projects alike must embrace transparency. Clear labelling of paid posts is not optional, as it protects investors and strengthens the market’s reputation.
Until then, traders should be alert and always verify claims independently. Traders should also track wallet behaviour whenever possible. This scandal may trigger regulatory responses. However, it also gives the community the tools it needs to demand higher standards.
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