X (formerly Twitter) is moving to automatically lock accounts that suddenly post about crypto for the first time, in a bid to curb a growing wave of hacks and scam promotions on the platform.
Product lead Nikita Bier said the system will flag accounts with no prior crypto activity that begin promoting tokens, triggering identity verification before further posts.
The feature specifically targets a common attack pattern where hackers take over high-follower accounts and use them to push meme coins or phishing links.
The change reflects a broader crackdown on crypto-related spam, which has surged in recent months.
Hacked accounts promoting tokens have become one of the most reliable scam vectors on X, often exploiting audience trust to drive quick liquidity before disappearing.
In practice, the update treats sudden crypto activity as suspicious by default. That could reduce large-scale phishing campaigns but may also catch legitimate users posting about crypto for the first time.
Reaction has been split. Some users see it as a necessary step to clean up “crypto Twitter” and protect users from scams.
Others argue it introduces excessive control, raising concerns about censorship and how platforms define “normal” behavior.
