Canadian rapper Drake’s X account hacked to promote fake meme coin

The hack resulted in ANITA surging to $4.9 million in trading volume, which was pumped on account it was tied to Drake’s upcoming tour.

Canadian hip-hop mogul Drake had his X account compromised on Dec. 15, with malicious actors using it to promote a meme coin dubbed Anita.

Within hours, the newly minted token rose to $4.9 million in volume, largely on account of the rapper’s 39 million followers, who believed it to be connected to his upcoming tour, called the Anita Max Wynn tour.

The advertisement claimed that the token was created in conjunction with betting platform Stake, a brand that Drake has long been associated with.

Soon after launch, the meme coin surged in trading volume with over 7,000 buy orders. However, analysis by the likes of crypto sleuth Zachxbt and numerous others quickly surmised the meme coin to be a scam.

The situation involving Drake is not unique, with numerous other celebrities also falling victim to similar hacks. In December 2024, Cardi B and Doja Cat suffered similar compromises; while Halley Welch, the Tik Tok star and podcaster made famous by the viral “Hawk Tuah” video, was recently called out by the crypto community for promoting HAWK, which reached $480 million in market cap before crashing and leaving investors and her fans holding the bag.