iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
A “crypto hall of shame” is an informal, curated list of cryptocurrency scams, hacks, and failures. It is not an official legal or regulatory register, and entries can describe very different events—from alleged fraud to confirmed technical exploits or user losses.
What does “crypto hall of shame” mean?
The phrase describes a collection of notable cryptocurrency scandals and failures. One GitHub collection uses the label for a dated list of incidents, while a 2019 response to an Australian Treasury consultation refers to a crowd-maintained “Crypto/ICO Hall of Shame” resource. Neither source defines an official classification. The label is descriptive, not a finding by a regulator or court.
Because the list is curated, it is selective rather than a complete record of every crypto incident. Inclusion alone does not establish that a person or organization committed a crime, nor does it make every event equally serious.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What kinds of events can it include?
Examples in the archived collection span several categories. These are useful distinctions: a fraud allegation, a security breach, a software bug, and a mistake by a user are not interchangeable.
#1 Best Overall
- Fraud and scams: schemes involving token offerings or alleged exchange fraud. An allegation should be labeled as such unless a reliable finding establishes it.
- Theft and security breaches: incidents involving exchanges, wallets, or decentralized finance (DeFi) services.
- Protocol or infrastructure failures: smart-contract bugs, bridge exploits, or attacks on a blockchain network.
- Irrecoverable losses and user error: for example, funds sent to the wrong destination or made inaccessible when a key is lost.
- Other crypto-related mishaps or misleading claims: these belong only when the event is material and documented, and should not be presented as criminal conduct without evidence.
Examples—and how to read their reported values
The archived GitHub list assigns reported values to some entries. These are figures as printed by that collection, not a consistent set of independently checked loss estimates. The list mixes currencies and kinds of value, so its amounts should not be added together or used to rank incidents.
| Incident | Date shown in the collection | Value printed by the collection | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wormhole bridge hack | February 2, 2022 | $320 million | Reported value in the curator’s entry; measurement basis is not established by the list alone. |
| Qubit Finance exploit | January 28, 2022 | About $80 million | Reported value in the curator’s entry; measurement basis is not established by the list alone. |
| Poly Network theft | August 11, 2021 | $600 million | Reported value in the curator’s entry; measurement basis is not established by the list alone. |
The collection is marked archived and read-only on GitHub, with an archive date of November 9, 2022. It is an example of the format, not a current incident tracker; it does not establish which later events belong in an updated catalogue. View the archived GitHub collection.
What does the 2019 Treasury-hosted response say?
In a response dated February 20, 2019, Dr. Rex Yeap, the submission’s contact person, described ICO- and crypto-related scam methods including imposters and fake YouTube influencers. Yeap also named Denaro, Bitconnect, and Centra as examples of high-profile ICO exit scams. The document is a consultation response hosted by Australia’s Treasury; its examples should be attributed to Yeap, not described as Treasury findings or enforcement determinations. Read the Treasury-hosted response.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallHow to judge an entry in a crypto hall of shame
A useful entry should make clear what happened and how strongly it is documented. Before treating a list as evidence, look for:
- The incident date and the actor, service, or system involved.
- A clear account of the event, with sources that support it.
- Whether wrongdoing is alleged, admitted, technically demonstrated, or established through a legal or regulatory finding.
- What a quoted dollar value measures—for example, an estimated loss, the value of assets affected, or another figure—and who reported it.
- Any known recovery, legal outcome, or effect on users, without implying facts the source does not establish.
No authoritative industry-wide statistic or standard taxonomy for “crypto hall of shame” is established by these sources. Treat each catalogue as an editorial selection, verify consequential claims against reliable reporting or primary records, and check the date of the material before relying on it for current coverage.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
