Pi Network’s community sentiment poll on CoinMarketCap fell dramatically today, leading to allegations of bot activity. Negative votes swarmed the site’s poll, while other community ratings stayed positive.
However, there is no clear proof either for or against these claims. Pi Network has suffered criticism and price setbacks recently, and its supporters have swayed polls, votes, and ratings on multiple occasions.
Did Bots Sabotage Pi Network’s Community Sentiment?
Today, however, Pi supporters raised concerns about bot activity on CoinMarketCap after the token’s community sentiment plummeted:
“It looks like somebody is using bots to vote against PI. I am 99% sure this is not an organic poll. Over 1.94 Million votes is even bigger than the BTC vote. 77% of the PI community is bullish on CoinGecko. Why is it so different on CoinMarketCap?” a Pioneer asked on social media.
Specifically, this user noted that Pi’s community sentiment plunged 90% in less than a day and that this poll had more participants than Bitcoin’s.
Other platforms with a similar voting mechanism kept Pi’s rating steady, leading him to conclude that bot activity was involved.
Pi Community Sentiment Plummets. Source: Moon Jeff
Additionally, it’s interesting that CoinMarketCap is the only platform involved in the Pi Network bot voting allegations. The firm refused to acknowledge Pi as one of the largest tokens by market cap, but it eventually relented.
Either the platform or its community could bear resentment towards Pi after these setbacks.
Ultimately, it seems very unlikely that disgruntled Pi supporters or committed haters spiked this poll without any bot activity. The negative votes came in absurdly fast, were isolated to one platform, and exceeded the votes for even the largest cryptoassets.
As of now, it remains challenging to find definitive proof either way.
The state of security across the crypto and blockchain space has changed significantly in the past few months. Traditional smart contracts exploited or brute force attacks on blockchain networks are being superseded by crypto scams like rug pulls and pump-and-dump schemes.
BeInCrypto spoke with a spokesperson from security firm CertiK to understand how blockchain and security threats are evolving and how projects and users can safeguard against future exploits.
Social Media Hacks on the Rise
Over the past few months, the crypto community has seen a rise in social media-related hacks. This increasingly common tendency has pivoted away from the orchestration of more sophisticated blockchain attacks that have traditionally plagued headlines.
Whereas smart contract exploits or blockchain hacks require more knowledge, hackers have found an easier avenue by targeting social media accounts instead.
X (formerly Twitter) has quickly become the social media platform of choice among Web3 hackers.
Social Media is Now a Prime Target for Web3 Hackers
After US President Donald Trump launched his meme coin only two days before assuming office, hackers began to take advantage of the hype to hack high-profile X accounts and convince followers to invest in scam meme coins.
Last month, anonymous hackers took over the X account of the former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to promote MALAYSIA, a fake meme coin promoted as the country’s official cryptocurrency.
The post was removed within an hour, but the damage was done. Analysis shows that these hackers were probably related to the infamous Russian Evil Corp and that they stole $1.7 million in this rug pull.
The MALAYSIA token scam happened only two weeks after hackers exploited former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s social media account. In that instance, scammers promoted the BRAZIL token, which rose over 10,000% in minutes, netting the scammers over $1.3 million.
These scams have also affected technological companies.
Attacks on Tech Companies
In December, AI research and development company Anthropic also saw its X account hacked. A fraudulent post claimed that a fake token called CLAUDE would incentivize AI and crypto projects and included a wallet address for investors.
Attackers managed to collect around $100,000 from speculative investors.
These situations also highlight a broader issue of weak account security on social media platforms. As a result, even prominent individuals are susceptible to security breaches that directly affect the crypto community.
TRUMP Meme Coin Launch Was a Catalyst For Crypto Scams
“Now is the time to talk about the fact that large-scale political coins cross a further line: they are not just sources of fun, whose harm is at most contained to mistakes made by voluntary participants, they are vehicles for unlimited political bribery, including from foreign nation states,” Buterin claimed.
Buterin highlighted the tokens’ role in enabling scams and political corruption in crypto and blamed a regulatory loophole former SEC Chair Gary Gensler created for allowing bad actors to exploit governance tokens.
However, these crypto scams extend beyond political themes.
Growth of Social Engineering Exploits
A week after Buterin cautioned against political meme coins, a Coinbase user lost $11.5 million after falling victim to a social engineering scam on Base.
Crypto sleuth ZackXBT uncovered the exploit, pointing out that this incident is part of a growing trend, with multiple Coinbase users suffering similar losses. He also estimates that crypto scams of this nature have drained at least $150 million from Coinbase customers.
“Coinbase has a serious fraud problem. I just uncovered many more recent thefts from Coinbase users. The $150 million stolen from Coinbase users in a year is just from thefts I independently confirmed. So it’s more than likely multiples of this number,” ZachXBT stated.
In social engineering scams, attackers use phishing emails, spoofed calls, and other deceptive tactics to trick victims into revealing private keys or login credentials. Once they gain access, they drain wallets, move funds, and take control of accounts.
For CertiK, these situations stipulate the need for stronger security measures.
Addressing these security challenges is crucial as new crypto projects increase exponentially.
Prioritizing Proactive Security in a Rapidly Growing Industry
The Web3 sector is experiencing consistent growth, marked by a surge in new crypto project launches. This innovative momentum is expected to continue, but it’s also fueling security concerns.
Notably, the increasing rate of scams and hacks in the first three months of 2025 makes it clear that security efforts are struggling to keep up with innovation.
A study by Precedence Research estimates the Web 3.0 market will expand from USD 4.62 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 99.75 billion by 2034, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41.18% during that period.
Predicted market size of Web3 in the next ten years. Source: Precedence Research.
Yet, CertiK believes that project developers are pushing security considerations toward the end of the priority list.
As the Web3 ecosystem evolves, a proactive and adaptive security approach is critical. Prioritizing both blockchain integrity and social media vigilance will be essential for safeguarding the growing Web3 ecosystem.
The battle against these exploits requires a future where security is not an afterthought but a foundational pillar of every Web3 project and user interaction.
A notorious phishing group known as Inferno Drainer has begun exploiting a new Ethereum feature to launch wallet-draining attacks
The group is taking advantage of Ethereum Improvement Proposal (EIP) 7702, a key part of the Pectra upgrade, which allows Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) to temporarily act like smart contract wallets during transactions.
On May 24, Scam Sniffer, a web3 anti-scam platform, flagged a case where a wallet recently upgraded to EIP-7702 lost nearly $150,000.
According to Yu Xian, founder of blockchain security firm SlowMist, Inferno Drainer carried out the theft using a more sophisticated version of traditional phishing.
Unlike previous scams that hijack user wallets directly, Xian explained that Inferno Drainer used a delegated MetaMask wallet—one already authorized under EIP-7702.
He said this allowed the hackers to approve token transfers silently through a batch authorization process.
Xian furthered that the victim unknowingly triggered an “execute” command within MetaMask, which processed the malicious batch data in the background. The result was a silent but effective token drain.
“The phishing gang uses this mechanism to complete batch authorization operations on tokens related to the victim’s address,” Xian said.
According to him, it shows that attackers are no longer relying solely on old tricks as they’re actively integrating new Ethereum updates into their operations to stay ahead.
“As we predicted, the phishing gangs have caught up… Everyone should be vigilant, be careful that the assets in your wallet will be taken away,” Xian said.
Considering this, he urged users to review token authorizations regularly and check whether their wallet addresses have been delegated to phishing accounts via EIP-7702.
Due to this, security experts have emphasized that crypto users must remain proactive to stay safe from these attack vectors.
Scam Sniffer advised industry players to verify websites before logging in or approving any transactions. They also urge community members to audit their token permissions routinely and avoid clicking on unverified links.
According to Bo Hines, the executive director of the Presidential Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, the Trump administration could consider using tariff revenues to build a national Bitcoin reserve.
It marks a notable shift, given recent indications that revenue generated from gold sales would help fund the Bitcoin reserve.
Trump Tariff Revenues To Fund US Bitcoin Reserve
Bo Hines explained the possibility during recent interviews. He cited the need for the US to act swiftly amid global competition for Bitcoin accumulation.
Speaking to Thinking Crypto on Tuesday, Hines emphasized that the US must compete globally in Bitcoin. He highlighted the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve (SBR) through budget-neutral means. This, he said, includes novel funding mechanisms such as tariff revenues.
“SBR recognizes the value of what Bitcoin is and how it can be harnessed for the American people. There is a finite number of Bitcoin and I think there will end up being a race to accumulate,” Hines stated.
He reiterated this in an interview with Anthony Pompliano, the founder and CEO of Professional Capital Management. Bo Hines discussed the re-evaluation of tariffs, Bitcoin, and gold during the discussion. He labeled them as key components of the administration’s macroeconomic strategy.
“The strategic reserve is just the beginning. We’re thinking long-term about what assets can empower the American people and insulate us from global shocks,” Hines told Pompliano.
This plan is different from whatRepublican Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming proposed. BeInCrypto reported that she introduced legislation to increase the government’s Bitcoin holdings by selling a portion of the Federal Reserve’s gold.
“We will convert excess reserves at our 12 Federal Reserve banks into bitcoin over five years. We have the money now,” said Senator Lummis back in July at the Bitcoin 2024 Conference.
The notion of using tariff revenue to buy Bitcoin is novel. However, such a move could redefine the role of digital assets in the US economic strategy. It reflects a broader ideological pivot, treating digital assets as more than speculative instruments but as national economic tools.
Crypto advocates responded enthusiastically. Influencer Crypto Rover called the tariff-based Bitcoin acquisition plan “mega bullish,” reflecting wider market sentiment.
Meanwhile, others warn that Trump’s aggressive tariff stance could undermine US Bitcoin mining dominance. Hardware costs and international trade barriers could harm domestic miners, especially if Chinese-made mining equipment is further taxed or restricted.
Despite these complexities, the administration appears undeterred. Hines also hinted at integrating stablecoin legislation and blockchain technology within banking infrastructure. He said this would bolster law enforcement capabilities in crypto and signal a multi-pronged strategy.
As inflation pressures mount and trade tensions with China escalate, speculation is that a more crypto-friendly Fed chair could align monetary policy with the administration’s digital asset goals.
With geopolitical tensions rising and central banks racing to define their digital currency strategies, the US appears to be moving toward a more assertive position.
