CoinGecko denies fake screenshots alleging racist token listing

CoinGecko has addressed fake screenshots circulating online, clarifying that the alleged racist token has never been listed on its platform.

CoinGecko, the cryptocurrency data aggregator, in an X post on Tuesday, Nov. 19, denied allegations that it listed a token with a racist and offensive name, calling screenshots circulating on social media platform X false and misleading.

The screenshots in question falsely showed a token with offensive and inappropriate language listed under the platform’s “top zoo-themed category.” CoinGecko clarified that the token “has never been listed on our platform.”

In a statement, the firm urged users to report fake content, highlighting the importance of combating misinformation within the crypto community. CoinGecko emphasized it takes “these allegations seriously and encourage our community to help ensure accurate information is shared.”

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

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

In late May, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin criticized meme coins linked to dictatorships, advocating for better-quality projects. The co-founder of Ethereum, the network which boasts dozens if not hundreds of meme coins like Shiba Inu and Pepe, criticized the rise of assets targeting social groups by their nationalities, stating that a “bunch of Solana memecoins have recently been openly super-racist.”

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