The official Pokémon account on X was compromised by hackers for approximately 30 minutes on August 28th, 2026, during which time the attackers used the platform to promote a memecoin called $POKEMON. The hackers attempted to make the promotion appear legitimate, suggesting the coin was part of Pokémon's 30th-anniversary celebrations.
Despite the suspicious nature of the announcement for many fans, the account's reach of eight million followers ensured the message was broadcast globally. Following the fraudulent tweet, cryptocurrency exchange sites recorded over $3 million in $POKEMON transactions. The token's market capitalization was approximately $355,000, though this figure experienced significant fluctuations.
An AI disclaimer next to the coin's name indicated it was launched by the official Pokémon account, a claim that has since been refuted. Pokémon confirmed the account hack in a now-deleted post and stated they were investigating the security breach. Both the original fraudulent tweet and Pokémon's subsequent confirmation have been preserved and shared by users on X.
This incident follows a trend of social media accounts belonging to major entertainment entities being targeted for cryptocurrency scams. Notably, the recent Grand Theft Auto VI leaks were also leveraged to promote a cryptocurrency. The activities of hacking groups such as Cyberleek may be emboldening others to attempt similar schemes against high-profile companies.