Users from the Reddit community r/DotA2 quickly spotted the fraudulent livestream, shared screenshots, and warned others not to click on the posted links.
According to Pump.fun, the dota2coin token was created only a few hours before the hack. Its market capitalization quickly fell to $5,500, down 21% from the initial level. Less than 3% of tokens were traded, while one wallet controlled about 98% of the total supply.
The hijacked channel featured a live broadcast titled “Dota 2 Launch Official Meme Coin | Hurry Up,” containing a link to the token. The video description included a backlink to the official Dota 2 YouTube account to make the campaign appear legitimate.
Attack Spreads to Other Channels
About an hour after the Dota 2 breach, a similar attack targeted the YouTube channel of PGL, the Romanian esports organizer affiliated with Valve. Hackers streamed a fake broadcast under the name of MicroStrategy CEO Michael Saylor, which peaked at more than 2,000 viewers.
Soon after, reports emerged of additional hacks affecting other major gaming and sports channels, including ESL, BLAST Counter-Strike, Esports World Cup, and Mobile Legends MPL Indonesia. The user who shared the information claimed that “dozens of verified channels” were compromised and suggested that the incident might be linked to a wider YouTube security failure.
Recurring Scam Pattern
The method used in this attack mirrors a wave of YouTube scams dating back to 2020. Hackers have repeatedly taken over verified accounts, impersonated well-known crypto investors or exchanges, and streamed fake token giveaways.
According to Google’s Threat Analysis Group, such campaigns typically start with phishing emails disguised as sponsorship offers. Once attackers gain access, they rebrand the channels to resemble official companies like Binance or Gemini and host fake livestreams promising guaranteed payouts.
As of publication, none of the affected channels have released official statements regarding the breach.
Read also:
- North Korean Hackers Stole Over $2B in Cryptocurrency in 2025 – Elliptic
- $21 Million Drained From SBI Crypto Wallets and Moved Through Tornado Cash – ZachXBT
- ZachXBT Uncovered 25+ Attacks Involving North Korean Hackers Masquerading as Crypto Employees
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