Key Takeaways:
ZachXBT alleged that Ashcrypto ran several pump-and-dump schemes on illiquid CEX-listed altcoins. Evidence shows Ashcrypto called ROYA publicly, then told followers he was “holding 100%” while selling. The allegation is amongst other similar influencer-based manipulations that have continued into 2026. The ROYA IncidentThis pattern of calling a token, projecting confidence publicly while followers buy in, then exiting is a clear pump-and-dump structure that has been executed many times before (often amplified through social media rather than onchain coordination alone).
A Larger Scheme at HandEarlier in 2026, the investigator flagged the RAVE token scandal, in which a coordinated group allegedly controlled more than 90% of RAVE’s circulating supply and orchestrated a 6,000% price surge followed by a 95% crash that wiped $6 billion in 48 hours. That investigation prompted formal probes from Binance and Bitget.
The Ashcrypto allegations operate at a smaller scale than the RAVE scandal but follow the same core principle, wherein social media reach is used as a price-moving mechanism that benefits the caller at the direct expense of followers who act on the recommendation. Ashcrypto has not responded to any of the allegations at the time of writing.
