Shiba Inu Community Outraged as Official Account Promotes HACHI Token

The Shiba Inu (SHIB) community is currently embroiled in a heated debate following a controversial promotion on the project’s official X account, @shibtoken. Fans and ecosystem participants have expressed deep concern after the handle—which boasts nearly 4 million followers—began amplifying HACHI, an external token based on the Solana blockchain.

Misleading Comparisons Spark Outrage

The backlash intensified when the @shibtoken account highlighted a visual similarity between the contract addresses of HACHI and SHIB. Specifically, it pointed out that HACHI’s new address begins with “x95,” mirroring the “0x95” prefix of the original Shiba Inu contract. Accompanied by an image featuring two dogs representing both projects, the post created a strong impression of an official partnership or technical link where none actually exists.

Many in the “ShibArmy” argue that this framing is intentionally misleading to retail investors. By leveraging the powerful SHIB brand to boost a non-ecosystem project, critics claim the account is diluting its own value and endangering users who may associate the high-risk Solana token with the established security of the Shiba Inu ecosystem.

“Lost Its Way”: Ecosystem Projects Speak Out

The internal friction reached a boiling point when Oscar Token, a prominent project within the Shiba Inu ecosystem, publicly criticized the move. In a pointed reaction, the Oscar Token team stated that the official account has “lost its way,” reflecting a broader sentiment that the platform’s leadership is prioritizing third-party interests over its own loyal community.

This incident follows a pattern of previous controversial promotions, such as the Shiro Neko project, which similarly divided holders. As SHIB attempts to transition from a meme coin to a serious utility-driven ecosystem via Shibarium, these “shilling” incidents raise significant questions about the project’s long-term credibility and the transparency of its primary communication channels.