CoinMarketCap Removes Malicious “Verify Wallet” Phishing Popup, Launches Full Security Investigation
CoinMarketCap security teams detected and removed a malicious “Verify Wallet” popup within hours of its deployment on the leading crypto price-tracking site. The phishing scam prompted users to connect wallets and approve ERC-20 token transactions, risking private key exposure. CoinMarketCap’s official X account confirmed the removal of the malicious code and announced a full security investigation is underway. Major wallet extensions MetaMask and Phantom flagged the site as unsafe, alerting users to avoid interaction. No funds were reported lost. This incident echoes CoinMarketCap’s October 2021 data breach, which exposed over 3.1 million email addresses, underscoring persistent crypto cybersecurity challenges. Traders are advised to verify site authenticity, avoid unsolicited wallet prompts, and monitor CoinMarketCap security updates for potential market impacts.
Neutral
The removal of the malicious popup and swift security response by CoinMarketCap security teams helps restore user confidence and reduces immediate risk, exerting a neutral effect on ETH trading. In the short term, traders may experience slight caution when using CoinMarketCap data, but no direct sell-off or buying frenzy is expected since no funds were lost. Long term, the full security investigation and enhanced safeguards could strengthen platform integrity and user trust, potentially stabilizing market behavior around ERC-20 tokens and Ethereum. Overall, the news neither significantly boosts nor harms market sentiment, classifying it as neutral.