Hackers Exploit DB’s X Account to Manipulate TRUMP Memecoin Prices

Misinformation Sparks Wild TRUMP Token Surge Before Collapse

Hackers infiltrated the X (formerly Twitter) account of DB, a widely followed crypto news platform, on March 13, 2025, spreading false claims that triggered a sharp but short-lived rally in the TRUMP memecoin. The unauthorized posts suggested TRUMP could have future utility and falsely claimed that BlackRock had filed for a Hyperliquid ETF. 

Within minutes, TRUMP's price soared by 20%, only to crash just as quickly once the deception was exposed. The incident also caused a 6% fluctuation in Hyperliquid’s HYPE token before the misinformation was deleted. DB quickly removed the fraudulent posts and advised users to disregard all information shared during the breach.

Whale traders reacted swiftly to the sudden price swings, with one withdrawing 504,820 USDC from Binance to buy TRUMP tokens at the peak. The trader offloaded the holdings within minutes but suffered a $26,820 loss as the price plummeted.

Meanwhile, other major market players capitalized on the chaos—one of TRUMP’s biggest holders increased their position after the dip, while another whale with $64 million in realized gains sold into the pump. The heightened trading frenzy pushed TRUMP’s open interest from $196 million to $226 million as leveraged traders flooded the market following DB’s post. 

Despite the spike, TRUMP’s long-term outlook remains weak, as the token lacks fundamental utility, is absent from Solana’s Kamino lending markets, and is not integrated into any DeFi ecosystem. Its $1.15 billion daily trading volume highlights continued market interest, but traders increasingly doubt its ability to revisit past highs.

The nature of the breach raised security concerns within the crypto community. Some speculated whether this was truly a hack, noting that most account takeovers typically promote new memecoins rather than established ones like TRUMP. 

DB disclosed that its account had been protected by YubiKey two-factor authentication, with no linked third-party apps or API key compromises, fueling suspicions of an internal X employee compromise. The team stated they had reset all keys and sessions as a precaution. 

Blockchain security firm Harpie drew parallels to previous breaches targeting Dogwifcoin, Solana’s Jupiter Exchange, and the Pump.fun memecoin launchpad, while blockchain investigator ZachXBT suggested social engineering tactics against X employees could be responsible for the rising wave of attacks on high-profile crypto accounts.

The broader memecoin market remained largely unaffected by the incident, with PWEASE—linked to Vice President J.D. Vance—more than doubling from $0.017 to $0.041, while MELANIA maintained its high volatility at $0.69. TRUMP, however, suffered a complete wipeout of all short positions within minutes, raising concerns about potential market manipulation. While no direct evidence links DB to holding TRUMP positions, speculation lingers about whether the attack was merely an external breach or a deeper manipulation scheme.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.