Shiba Inu Community Criticizes @ShibToken for Promoting External Tokens
A dispute has erupted within the Shiba Inu community after the widely followed X account @shibtoken promoted Hachiko (HACHI), a Solana-based token, by amplifying a tweet that highlighted similarities between HACHI’s new contract address (x95HN…bWKyp) and Shiba Inu’s contract prefix (0x95), and used imagery of two dogs. Critics say the post implied an official association between HACHI and SHIB, misleading holders and damaging ecosystem credibility. Oscar Token and other ecosystem participants publicly rebuked the account, saying it no longer represents the project’s original focus. The incident revived prior concerns about @shibtoken’s unofficial status after past promotions — including Shiro Neko in late 2024 and a dual-staking scheme — led the fraud-alert channel Susbarium to warn the community that @shibtoken is not an official Shiba Inu handle. Launched in February 2021, @shibtoken has about 3.9 million followers and remains influential, meaning its posts can sway market perception despite repeated warnings. Traders should note the potential for short-term price volatility in SHIB and promoted tokens when high-following, brand-aligned accounts signal associations, and the risk of reputational damage that could affect longer-term confidence in ecosystem-led token value.
Neutral
The news signals reputational and messaging issues within the Shiba Inu ecosystem but does not introduce clear fundamental changes to SHIB’s tokenomics, network upgrades, or macro drivers. @shibtoken’s promotions can create short-term trading volatility due to perceived endorsements — especially given its ~3.9 million followers and past precedent — which may cause pump-and-dump moves in promoted tokens and brief spillovers into SHIB. However, there is no immediate on-chain or regulatory event directly affecting SHIB supply or utility. Historically, unofficial social-media endorsements (e.g., influencer or branded-account promotions) have produced short-lived price spikes followed by corrections once the association is questioned or debunked. Therefore, the likely market effect is short-term noise and elevated volatility (traders may see quick intraday moves and heightened volume), while long-term impact depends on whether the ecosystem’s governance or core teams distance themselves from the account and restore clarity. Traders should manage risk: avoid chasing pumps from social posts, watch liquidity and order-book depth for promoted tokens, set tight stops, and monitor official channels (core devs, project treasury, verified handles) for confirmation.