by Scott Emick
1/27/2025
In recent developments, the cryptocurrency community has witnessed the emergence of fraudulent tokens falsely claiming association with DeepSeek, a prominent Chinese AI company. These deceptive tokens have garnered significant attention and investment, leading to substantial market capitalizations before their fraudulent nature was exposed.
Notable Fake DeepSeek Tokens:
- Solana-Based Token:
- Launch Date: January 4, 2025
- Peak Market Capitalization: Approximately $62.86 million
- Details: This token was deployed on the Solana blockchain, preceding DeepSeek’s app launch by several weeks. Despite having no legitimate ties to DeepSeek, it misleadingly associated itself with the company. ReadWrite
- Second Fraudulent Token:
- Peak Market Capitalization: Around $13 million
- Details: Another token emerged, similarly attempting to capitalize on DeepSeek’s rising prominence. It achieved a market cap of $13 million before its fraudulent nature became evident. Cointelegraph
DeepSeek’s Official Response:
DeepSeek has publicly clarified that it has not issued any cryptocurrency. In a statement on their official X (formerly Twitter) account dated January 10, 2025, the company emphasized:
“DeepSeek has not issued any cryptocurrency. Currently, there is only one official account on the Twitter platform. We will not contact anyone through other accounts. Please stay vigilant and guard against potential scams.”
Investor Advisory:
Investors are urged to exercise caution and conduct thorough due diligence before engaging with tokens claiming affiliation with DeepSeek. It’s essential to verify the legitimacy of such claims through official company channels to avoid falling victim to scams.
The rapid proliferation of these fraudulent tokens underscores the importance of vigilance in the cryptocurrency space, especially concerning new and emerging projects.
