Overview
- Researchers found that more than 60% of releases came from projects with classic red flags, with some confirmed as scams via blacklists and active alerts.
- Crypto-focused distribution services sell paid placements on dozens of sites with little oversight, and releases often appear alongside reported news without clear labels.
- Only about 2% of the dataset reflected substantive developments such as funding or acquisitions, while most items promoted minor product updates, token sales, or exchange listings.
- In one December case, scammers impersonated Circle and pushed a fake tokenized metals announcement that appeared on multiple sites before being debunked.
- Risk concentrations were especially high in cloud mining, where about 90% of issuers were flagged, and the study warns the model blurs the line between reporting and promotion.