CoinGecko denies fake screenshots alleging racist token listing

Citing fake screenshots circulating on the internet, CoinGecko clarified that the allegedly racist token was never listed on its platform.

In an X post on Tuesday, November 19, cryptocurrency data aggregator CoinGecko denied allegations that it had listed a token with a racist and offensive name, saying screenshots circulating on social media platform X were false and misleading.

We were made aware of a fake screenshot circulating on social media claiming to have listed a token with an offensive and racist name.

We would like to clarify that this token has never been listed on our platform.

At CoinGecko we strictly adhere to content moderation…

— CoinGecko (@coingecko) 19 November 2024

The screenshots in question incorrectly showed an icon containing offensive and inappropriate language listed under the platform’s “best zoo-themed category.” CoinGecko clarified that the token “has never been listed on our platform.”

In its statement, the company emphasized the importance of combating misinformation within the crypto community and urged users to report fake content. CoinGecko emphasized that it “takes these allegations seriously and encourages our community to ensure accurate information is shared.”

Other crypto price aggregators reviewed by Crypto.news also appear to show the same offending token in their listings, but these listings are unverified, raising concerns about listing standards.

Racist tokens have been a part of the crypto world for a while, especially as meme coins grew in popularity, allowing anyone to mint tokens quickly and cheaply.

In late May, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin criticized meme coins linked to dictatorships and advocated for higher quality projects. The co-founder of network Ethereum, which owns dozens if not hundreds of memecoins like Shiba Inu and Pepe, criticized the rise of assets targeting social groups based on their nationality, noting that “a bunch of Solana memecoins have clearly gone super lately.” racist.”

He also expressed concern about the prevalence of coins bearing names associated with totalitarian regimes.