In a dramatic turn of events, the cryptocurrency world was rocked on March 20, 2025, when the official X account of Watcher Guru, a prominent crypto and finance media outlet, was compromised. The breach, detected at approximately 2:05 AM UTC, saw hackers post a fraudulent announcement claiming that SWIFT, the global financial messaging network, was on the verge of finalizing a partnership with Ripple to integrate XRP for cross-border payments. As of March 21, 2025, the incident has sparked widespread confusion, excitement, and concern within the crypto community. Here’s what unfolded and what it reveals about security in the digital age.
The unauthorized post, which appeared under Watcher Guru’s verified handle with nearly 3 million followers, asserted that SWIFT and Ripple were in the “final stages” of a deal, with “billions of XRP secured in escrow” to boost liquidity for global transactions. The message ignited a frenzy among XRP enthusiasts, amplified further when Bitrue, a pro-XRP exchange, mistakenly reposted the news before deleting it. The hacker’s tactics were calculated—they blocked Ripple’s official X account and that of CEO Brad Garlinghouse, likely to delay any immediate debunking.
Watcher Guru’s team reacted promptly, removing the post within minutes and issuing a warning: “Our X account has been hacked, and the previous post (now deleted) was posted by a hacker. We have 2FA enabled and have taken extreme measures to avoid hacks.” Despite their swift response, the damage was done. Automated systems pushed the fake report to Watcher Guru’s Telegram, Facebook, and Discord channels, broadening its reach before the team could intervene.
The XRP community, known for its passionate support base, initially buzzed with excitement, with some speculating about a potential price surge. XRP, trading at $2.31 as of March 21, saw a brief uptick before settling back amid the clarification. The incident also raised eyebrows due to an odd coincidence: SWIFT had announced plans for smoother crypto payment integrations that same day, leading some on X to wonder if Watcher Guru had accidentally leaked real news and then backtracked with a “hack” excuse. However, no evidence supports this theory, and the team has stood firm on the breach narrative.
Watcher Guru later detailed the breach in a thread, noting similarities to a recent hack of crypto influencer @tier10k. “We had 2FA enabled, no connected apps, and none of our API tokens were used to post it,” they explained, hinting at a sophisticated attack. They suspect a phishing link sent to their Telegram account on March 5 may have been the entry point, though this remains unconfirmed. The platform has since secured its account, removed all unauthorized posts, and is collaborating with X support for further insight.
This isn’t the first time a high-profile crypto account has been targeted. In February 2025, Dior’s Instagram was hacked to pump a fake Solana meme coin, and earlier incidents like the 2024 Squid Game token rug pull highlight the persistent threat of social engineering in the space. Watcher Guru’s breach, however, stands out for its scale and reach, exposing vulnerabilities even in accounts with robust security like two-factor authentication (2FA).The incident has fueled calls for stronger safeguards. Posts on X from users like @Cryptov1lle questioned, “Even 2FA wasn’t enough! How can media platforms secure their accounts?” Experts suggest measures like multi-signature authentication, restricted API access, and manual oversight of automated posting bots could help. Hakan Unal of Cyvers Alerts, commenting on a similar exploit, pointed to leaked admin keys as a common weak link—something Zoth Protocol’s $8.85M hack earlier this week also underscored.
For Ripple and XRP, the fake news briefly reignited hopes of mainstream adoption—a narrative the community has long championed. While no real SWIFT partnership exists, the confusion amplified by Bitrue’s repost shows how quickly misinformation can sway sentiment. XRP’s price held steady, but the episode may dent trust in unverified announcements, especially as the UAE and other regions push DeFi growth.
More broadly, the hack exposes the fragile trust underpinning crypto’s media ecosystem. Watcher Guru, a trusted source for market updates, became an unwitting vector for chaos, highlighting the need for both platforms and followers to verify information. As @CryptoTimes_io noted on X, “Hackers took over @WatcherGuru’s X account to spread fake XRP news… Read the full story.” Staying vigilant is now a community imperative.
Watcher Guru has promised a detailed update once their investigation concludes, but questions linger. How did the hacker bypass 2FA? Was this a targeted attack or part of a wider campaign? For now, the crypto space is left grappling with a familiar lesson: innovation and influence come with exposure. As the industry matures, securing the voices that shape it—be they AI bots, media outlets, or influencers—will be as critical as securing the blockchains themselves. Stay tuned, and keep your skepticism sharp.