Pumpius, a crypto influencer who has been in the space since 2013, has revealed that he was allegedly offered $25,000 in USDT to publicly attack Ripple and XRP.
He disclosed that the proposal came through a private message. It included a detailed script instructing him to label Ripple a scam, claim he had sold all his XRP, and accuse Ripple and prominent influencers of causing “wealth destruction.”
The offer also reportedly promised to pay half of the funds upfront, with the remainder after the posting. Meanwhile, Pumpius rejected the offer and chose to make it public instead.
Key Points
- A media personality claims he was offered $25,000 to publicly defame Ripple and XRP.
- The alleged offer included a script accusing Ripple of scams and “wealth destruction.”
- It promised to pay half upfront, with the rest after publishing the attack.
- The commentator rejected the offer and exposed the smear effort.
Allegations of Scripted Smear XRP Campaigns
He argued that repeated talking points and similar language used across multiple accounts could indicate the use of paid proxies rather than independent critics. According to Pumpius, the timing of such efforts suggests desperation on the part of parties attempting to suppress XRP.
Notably, the screenshot shared alongside the post outlined specific requirements for the paid promotion, including mandatory accusations and tagging Ripple directly. The message framed the task as “easy” and emphasized flexibility in wording, as long as all required claims were included.
Industry Figures Echo Similar Experiences
EasyA co-founder Dom Kwok responded, stating that many people had reached out to him with similar offers. In some cases, they offered even larger sums.
Kwok described the situation as evidence of a “serious, concerted effort” by an anti-XRP lobby aimed at discrediting the asset.
He urged the community to remain focused on its mission and resist attempts to manipulate public perception through paid attacks.
Attacks on XRP
Meanwhile, the XRP community continues to battle negative campaigns from rival projects, particularly the Bitcoin and Chainlink communities. While allegations alone do not prove a coordinated campaign, the consistency of reported offers is raising concerns about how narratives around major crypto assets are shaped.
To XRP supporters, it echoes long-held beliefs that the project faces outsized opposition. It also serves as a reminder to approach viral negative narratives with skepticism.
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