Posting your first crypto post to verify! X rolls out new anti-fraud rules to prevent hackers from stealing accounts—cracking down on scam-coin spam promotion

X rolls out a mandatory verification mechanism for crypto-related content. The account is locked as soon as it is first mentioned, reflecting the grim situation in which scam amounts in 2025 may be approaching 17 billion USD.

X launches mandatory verification mechanism—locks the account on the first post

Social media platform X has recently introduced a new round of anti-scam measures. When an account’s first published content is related to cryptocurrency, it will immediately trigger an account-locking mechanism, requiring users to complete identity verification before they can continue posting.

This mechanism mainly targets scenarios where accounts are hacked and then used to promote investment scams. X product lead Nikita Bier said the system will detect whether an account is making its “first mention of cryptocurrency.” Once the trigger conditions are met, the system will suspend the account’s posting privileges. This move is seen as significantly reducing the success rate of hackers using highly trusted accounts to spread scam information in a short period of time.

Image source: X/@nikitabier X product lead Nikita Bier says the system will detect whether an account is making its “first mention of cryptocurrency,” and once the trigger conditions are met, it will suspend the account’s posting privileges

The platform noted that in the past, attackers often stole account credentials through phishing pages, took over the account, and immediately published investment scam content. The new mechanism tries to cut off operational permissions directly during this “golden time,” preventing scams from spreading.

The scale of crypto scams has surged—could reach 17 billion USD in a year

According to statistics from Chainalysis, the amount of crypto scams in 2025 has already reached about 14 billion USD (about NT$ 420 billion) and may be revised upward to 17 billion USD after the full figures are finalized, indicating that the scam industry is still expanding rapidly.

At the same time, data from the Federal Trade Commission shows that in the first three quarters of 2025, investment scam cases had reached 113,842. Cumulative losses were about 6.1 billion USD, or roughly 183 billion NT dollars, which is already close to the level of all of 2024.

Further analysis points out that cryptocurrency has become one of the important tools for scam funding flows, second only to bank transfers. Because blockchain transactions are difficult to reverse, once the funds are sent out, victims can almost never recover them, significantly increasing the success rate of scams.

Social platforms become a gateway for scams—trust mechanisms are abused

Data shows that about 38% of investment scam cases originate from social platforms, making them the largest source of referrals. Compared with the 29% share in 2020, this indicates that scam activities are rapidly shifting to using social platform trust mechanisms.

Hackers typically target accounts with a strong follower base. Once the intrusion succeeds, they post investment opportunities or airdrop activities using a familiar identity, leveraging followers’ trust to carry out scams. This type of attack also makes the amount of money scammed per transaction significantly higher; the average transaction amount rose from 782 USD in 2024 to 2,764 USD in 2025.

In addition, scam cases impersonating celebrities or official accounts have also grown explosively, with a year-over-year increase of as much as 1,400%, becoming one of the most prominent methods in current crypto scams.

Platform and email vulnerabilities intertwine—anti-fraud system faces challenges

X said the account-locking mechanism is only a temporary defensive measure, because the sources of scams often come from external systems, such as email phishing attacks. Some industry observers noted that shortcomings in email services’ spam filtering make it easier for phishing links to penetrate to users, forming a complete attack chain.

As some email services adjust their functions, their spam-protection capability may decline, further increasing the likelihood that users are exposed to scam risks.

Overall, this round of policies shows that social platforms are shifting from “content moderation” to “behavior restrictions,” trying to block scams with more compulsory measures. However, in an environment of high liquidity and anonymity for crypto assets, the scam industry still has a high capacity to adapt. The ongoing tug-of-war between platforms and regulators is unlikely to end in the short term.

This article is generated by the Crypto Agent to compile information from various parties, and is reviewed and edited by 《Crypto City》. It is still in the training stage and may contain logical discrepancies or information errors. The content is for reference only and should not be taken as investment advice.