Shiba Inu Ecosystem Loses X Affiliate Badges After @shibtoken Subscription Cancelled
K9 Finance DAO and several projects in the Shiba Inu ecosystem lost affiliate verification badges on X after @shibtoken’s Business Subscription — a paid verification product that automatically extended affiliate status to connected projects and team members — was discontinued. Affected accounts included K9 Finance, Bad Idea AI, Shibarium, Shib: The Metaverse and lead developer Kaal Dhairya. K9 said the removals were an operational and financial decision tied to recurring subscription costs and discussions with Shiba Inu leadership, not a breakdown in partnerships. @shibtoken later restored its gold checkmark but removed affiliated links; K9 secured a standalone verification while other projects have not. The badge change comes amid unresolved tensions between K9 and Shibarium following a September 12 Shibarium bridge exploit that affected KNINE holders. K9 has offered a bounty to attackers, says Shibarium communication on recovery went silent, and has threatened a community vote to reconsider its relationship with Shibarium if affected users are not fully compensated by January 6, 2026. For traders: this is primarily an administrative and reputational development within the Shiba Inu community. Expect short-term noise in social signals and possible reputational risk for Shibarium-linked projects; monitor on-chain updates, KNINE and SHIB liquidity, any compensation developments, and governance votes that could affect token flows or market sentiment.
Neutral
The badge removals are an administrative and subscription-related action, not a technical or protocol-level failure. That limits immediate on-chain risk for SHIB or KNINE. However, the underlying dispute — a bridge exploit on September 12 that affected KNINE holders and unresolved compensation talks between K9 and Shibarium — poses reputational risk and potential future token pressure if victims are not compensated. Short-term effects are likely limited to social and sentiment noise: traders may see volatility in SHIB and KNINE due to headlines, reduced market confidence, or liquidity shifts from concerned holders. Longer-term impact depends on compensation outcomes and any governance actions (such as K9’s proposed vote). Full compensation would likely contain downside; failure to resolve could pressure KNINE more than SHIB given direct exposure. Overall, expect muted immediate price action driven by sentiment, with targeted risk to KNINE if the dispute escalates.