Spotlight on Scams: 4 Shady Crypto Projects That Reached the Big Stage

Crypto's brightest lights sometimes hide the darkest corners. Here are four projects that cashed in on hype—then left investors holding the bag.

1. The 'DeFi Darling' That Rug-Pulled Millions

Promised 10,000% APY, delivered 100% exit liquidity. Classic.

2. The NFT Project That Minted FOMO—And Nothing Else

10,000 pixelated apes later, the roadmap was just a dotted line to the founders' offshore accounts.

3. The Exchange Token That Outperformed Its Own Platform

Token hit ATH while user funds hit 'maintenance mode.' Coincidence? Regulators think not.

4. The Metaverse Land Grab That Virtually Vanished

Sold digital beachfront property. Forgot to build the beach.

Lesson? In crypto, the spotlight often shines brightest on the exit signs. (But hey—at least the scammers pay their gas fees... in stolen ETH.)