In a bizarre turn of events, The Pokémon Company’s official X account was briefly compromised earlier today, with hackers using the platform to promote a cryptocurrency. While the incident was short-lived, it sparked a wave of reactions from fans and raised questions about security protocols.
The Great Crypto Caper
Around 3 PM PT on August 17, 2026, the official Pokémon X account posted a message seemingly designed to lure unsuspecting trainers into the world of cryptocurrency. The post, which has since been deleted, cleverly mimicked an official Pokémon , linking out to a website that initially appeared to be celebrating the brand’s ongoing 30th-anniversary festivities.
“Celebrate 30 years of Pokémon in a whole new way!” the hijacked post read. “Introducing $POKEMON, the official Pokemon memecoin. Join trainers around the world and be part of the #Pokemon30 celebration.”
The rogue post remained online for approximately thirty minutes before being swiftly removed. However, even during that brief window, many users were quick to recognize the scam. Community notes began appearing rapidly beneath the fraudulent post on X, exposing the attempt.
Pokémon Responds
Shortly after the incident, The Pokémon Company issued a statement acknowledging the security breach. “We’re aware that our X account was accessed without authorization and used to publish posts promoting a cryptocurrency,” the statement read. “Those posts were not created or approved by Pokémon and have been removed. We have secured the account and are investigating the incident. We’re sorry for the confusion and appreciate your patience.”
The hijacked @Pokemon handle on X was temporarily compromised earlier for ~30 minutes. We’re aware that our X account was accessed without authorization and used to publish posts promoting a cryptocurrency. Those posts were not created or approved by Pokémon and have been removed. We… — Pokémon (@Pokemon) August 27, 2026
Fans responded to the official statement with a mix of relief and amusement, flooding the comments section with memes jokingly blaming Team Rocket for the hack. However, even this follow-up post was later deleted, leaving fans wondering if any further updates would be provided on the matter.
A History of Breaches
While thankfully not as severe as previous incidents, this latest security breach serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by major brands in protecting their online presence. In late 2024, a massive data leak originating from developer GameFreak exposed “hundreds of gigabytes to nearly a terabyte” of internal data, including concept art, unused Pokémon prototypes, source code, and even codenames for planned future games.
This latest incident pales in comparison to that earlier breach, but it underscores a troubling trend. It also highlights that The Pokémon Company is far from alone; many high-profile accounts on X have been targeted by similar scams, including those perpetrated by individuals linked to the infamous GTA 6 leaks. While the gameplay footage shown in that particular scam was less impressive than the viral Netflix showcase that aired on the platform earlier today, it still serves as a cautionary tale.
Source: IGN
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