a16z recovers X account after hack promoting fraudulent token

On June 18, 2025, the official X account of a16z was compromised, granting unauthorized access to malicious actors who used the platform to promote a fake Solana-based token under the name “$a16z.”

The breach lasted for a brief period, during which the attackers posted malicious links and false promotions to the account’s audience of over 850,000 followers. 

One of the posts falsely claimed, “It’s Official: $a16z Launches Its Own Token. Today marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of crypto @solana,” alongside a wallet address used to bait users into buying.