Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, is rolling out significant changes to its security protocols specifically aimed at curbing the proliferation of cryptocurrency scams on its platform. According to posts from X's Head of Product, Nikita Bier, the company is implementing an auto-locking and verification system for accounts that post about cryptocurrency for the first time in their history.
The new feature, announced on April 1, 2026, is designed to automatically lock a profile and require user authentication if it suddenly begins posting crypto-related content without prior history. Bier stated this measure should "kill 99% of the incentive" for malicious actors who hijack accounts, especially high-profile ones, to promote scams. He specifically highlighted that accounts with more than 10,000 followers that drop a meme coin without any prior connection to crypto are almost always compromised.
The initiative comes in response to rampant financial scams on the platform, including promotions of fraudulent crypto tokens, donation scams, and "fake X-trademarked" schemes. Bier also noted that a "community mention spam attack," where many users are tagged in posts promoting a crypto token, should now be blocked.
Ironically, the announcement followed an incident where a user impersonating someone else duped news outlets with a hoax about the death of a 200-year-old tortoise named Jonathan, only to later promote a Solana-based meme coin. X has a long history of high-profile account takeovers, including those belonging to former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Kanye West, and even owner Elon Musk, all used to promote crypto scams. In September, the company took legal action against banned crypto scammers attempting to bribe their way back onto the platform.
A representative for X did not immediately respond to requests for further details on how the feature will vet the legitimacy of first-time crypto discourse.
