Crypto influencer Ashcrypto is facing criticism after on-chain investigator ZachXBT published findings alleging a coordinated trading pattern tied to the ROYA token. The claims center on Ashcrypto’s public promotion of ROYA, the native asset of Royale Finance, alongside private communications that appeared to contradict market behavior during the same period.
According to ZachXBT, Ashcrypto publicly encouraged interest in ROYA while indicating continued accumulation. Messages reviewed by the investigator show Ashcrypto stating that his team was “holding 100%” of its position and “buying more,” even as market activity showed high selling pressure.
Within hours of the public call, Ashcrypto reportedly questioned the sell-off, asking who was “selling like this.” ZachXBT’s analysis shows that this sequence aligns with a pump-and-dump structure, where public endorsements drive short-term demand before positions are reduced.
The investigator noted that tokens listed on centralized exchanges with limited liquidity are especially sensitive to such activity, as relatively small trades can move prices significantly. ZachXBT further stated that ROYA may not be an isolated incident, alleging that similar patterns were observed in prior promotions involving illiquid altcoins traded on centralized platforms.
The allegations emerge alongside several other investigations conducted by ZachXBT in 2026. Earlier findings related to the RAVE token described a coordinated effort in which a group allegedly controlled more than 90% of the circulating supply.
That case involved a reported 6,000% price increase followed by a 95% decline, erasing approximately $6 billion in value within 48 hours. The incident led to formal inquiries by major exchanges, including Binance and Bitget.
Separately, the investigator flagged a legal dispute involving the firm Gerstein Harrow, which filed claims to seize $71 million in Ethereum linked to the April 2026 KelpDAO exploit. The filing reportedly relied on a 2015 judgment, raising questions about priority over affected users in recovery proceedings.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});ZachXBT has also raised concerns about trading activity on Tokenlon, a decentralized exchange, alleging that a portion of its volume may be tied to suspicious financial flows. The analysis links certain transactions to a range of alleged illicit operations, including investment scams and other criminal networks.
Additional platforms named in the investigation include Butter Network, HiFiSwap, and Bridgers/SWFT, which were described as potential infrastructure supporting questionable fund movements.
Related: ZachXBT Issues Warning on ZEUS Token, Citing Founders’ Links to Market Manipulation
