In the wake of PayPal’s recent unveiling of its PYUSD stablecoin, the cryptocurrency space has witnessed a flurry of opportunistic ventures, speculative traders, and potential scams attempting to ride the coattails of the new digital currency. According to data sourced from DEX Screener, a decentralized exchange scanner, a surge of approximately 30 new token pairs under the “PYUSD” ticker emerged within hours of the announcement.
PayPal stablecoin copycats created across diverse networks
These imitative tokens have been created across various blockchain networks, including BNB Smart Chain, Ethereum, and Coinbase’s latest layer 2 solutions, Base. Notably, the authentic PayPal USD token was introduced in November 2022 and is verifiable via its designated contract address. PayPal has explicitly outlined that the genuine PayPal USD token is intended for transactions between verified PayPal accounts and compatible wallets.
This underscores the improbability of any tokens carrying the same ticker being legitimate when found on decentralized exchanges like UniSwap. Among these counterfeit PYUSD tokens, the largest offender emerged on the Ethereum blockchain, accumulating a remarkable $2.6 million in trading volume mere minutes after PayPal’s stablecoin announcement. Despite a meteoric surge of over 30,000% within the initial eight hours, this imposter token subsequently plummeted by more than 66% from its peak value.
In a quirky twist, one such token dubbed “PepeYieldUnibotSatoshiDoge” chose a slightly humorous approach to mimic PayPal’s stablecoin. This token managed to achieve an astonishing 3,000% surge in value within just four hours. Many of these bogus PYUSD tokens are likely “honeypots,” a term used to describe tokens that trap investors. These tokens render their purchasers unable to sell and effectively force them to relinquish their cryptocurrency holdings.
Analysts warn traders over new honeypot scam trend
Investors, unless well-versed in auditing smart contracts, often realize the deceit only when they attempt to offload their holdings. The cryptocurrency community is no stranger to the phenomenon of rapid creation and minting of new tokens, particularly in response to trending stories and developments. Anonymous developers, for instance, unveiled the “LK-99” token on August 3, capitalizing on the prevailing superconductor trend.
A week prior, as the United States Congress held a hearing featuring a whistleblower’s claims of a government cover-up involving alien visitation, over 50 UFO-themed memecoins emerged, embodying the speculative fervor characteristic of such scenarios. The launch of PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin has ignited a flurry of imitation tokens across various blockchain networks.
While these imitators may generate fleeting excitement and gains, they underscore the importance of due diligence and discernment in the cryptocurrency market. As the community continues to navigate through a landscape of innovation and opportunism, investors must remain vigilant, conducting thorough audits and research before engaging with new tokens to avoid falling victim to potential scams and deception.
