Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has revealed that more than 160 crypto influencers may have been secretly paid to promote tokens without disclosing to their followers that it was a promotional post.
On Monday, in an X post, he shared a spreadsheet that named over 200 crypto influencers who were recently contacted by a project to promote tokens, along with the prices they charge per post. It also included their wallet addresses and blockchain receipts showing they were paid.
According to him, out of the 200, over 160 influencers accepted the promotion deals, but fewer than five actually disclosed that the posts were ads. Most presented the promotions as genuine opinions or investment tips, which could easily mislead their followers.
Payment Details and Influencer Tiers
The leaked prices ranged from about $50 to as much as $60,000 for a single post. Payments were mostly made through Solana wallets, making the transactions traceable on-chain.
The spreadsheet also ranked influencers in tiers. High-profile names like Atity, Eddy, and Sibeleth charged staggering sums: Atity asked for $60,000 per post, Sibeleth $10,000 per post, and Eddy offered six tweets for $12,000. None of these posts was labeled as ads.
Mid-tier influencers typically asked between $3,000 and $5,000 per post, while smaller accounts went as low as $1,500 to $2,000. Some even had “tweet bundles” or bundle offers for a series of X posts.
The post sparked conversations about how lack of disclosures pose serious risks. It can lead normal investors to feel that a token has true support or momentum. While in reality, it is simply sponsored marketing. Most of these tokens are thinly traded and could fall sharply, which in turn typically leaves retail purchasers with deep losses.
In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission requires influencers to clearly disclose when they are being paid to promote something. Not following those rules could lead to regulatory problems and adds to broader concerns about the integrity of the crypto market. ZachXBT’s findings put the spotlight once again on how “crypto KOLs” (key opinion leaders) often blur the line between genuine advice and paid shilling.
Also Read: CertiK Flags Suspicious Activity in OLAXBT’s AIO Tokens
