Dota 2 YouTube Channel With 1.27M Subscribers Hijacked To Promote Fake Solana Meme Coin: How Secure Are Verified Accounts Against Scams?

Dota 2’s Official YouTube Channel Hacked To Promote Fake Solana Token

Fans of the popular video game Dota 2 were caught off guard on Wednesday when the game’s official YouTube channel, which boasts 1.27 million subscribers, was briefly taken over by hackers promoting a fraudulent Solana-based meme coin called dota2coin.

The compromised account livestreamed a fake token launch to thousands of unsuspecting viewers before being shut down.

Fake Livestream Promoted A Solana-Based Token

The livestream, titled “Dota 2 Launch Official Meme Coin | Hurry Up,” directed viewers to a PumpFun token page, which linked back to the verified Dota 2 YouTube channel — lending the scam an air of legitimacy.

According to data from Pump.fun, dota2coin was created only hours before the incident.

The token’s on-chain data showed less than 3% bonding curve progress, with a single wallet holding more than 98% of its supply.

Coin Value Plummets After Rapid Launch

At about 05:55 a.m. (UTC+8), as the livestream went live, the meme coin’s market value briefly surged before collapsing.

At the time of writing, dota2coin had fallen roughly 35% from its peak, leaving its total market capitalisation hovering around $5,900.

Community Alerts Others As Screenshots Spread Online

Members of the r/DotA2 subreddit quickly identified and documented the hack, posting screenshots of the livestream and warning others not to engage.

The livestream promoting the coin was also found to be an old Gaben video overlaid with a QR code, prompting users to be cautious of the link.

One Redditor commented,

“This interview is like from [a] couple years ago where gaben was talking about switch and the release of the steam deck. It’s 100% a scam. Don't click on anything.”

Another suggested,

“Looks like someone needs to update their 2FA.”

Esports Partner PGL Also Targeted In Separate Breach

The attack didn’t stop with Dota 2’s official channel.

Soon after, users reported that PGL — the Romanian esports organiser behind Valve-sanctioned Dota 2 tournaments — had also been hacked.

The PGL YouTube account was seen streaming a fake Bitcoin giveaway impersonating MicroStrategy executive Michael Saylor, attracting over 2,000 live viewers before being taken down.

Part Of A Familiar YouTube Scam Pattern

The incident follows a pattern of high-profile YouTube hijackings dating back to 2020, in which attackers seize verified accounts to promote fake crypto tokens or livestream scams.

Google’s Threat Analysis Group previously reported that such attacks often begin with phishing emails disguised as sponsorship offers, tricking creators into granting access to their channels.

Similar breaches have targeted public institutions and celebrities alike.

In 2024, India’s Supreme Court YouTube channel was hacked to promote an XRP-branded scam stream.

In another case, fake Bitcoin giveaway videos featuring Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak’s likeness led to victims losing their savings.

The Dota 2 incident now joins this growing list of crypto-themed YouTube compromises — another reminder of how hackers continue to exploit trusted digital spaces to lure unsuspecting audiences.

Rethinking Platform Trust In The Age Of Crypto Scams

Coinlive believes the latest Dota 2 channel breach raises deeper questions about accountability in the digital era.

If verified gaming and institutional accounts can be weaponised to promote scams within minutes, it calls into question how secure online ecosystems truly are — not just for creators, but for millions of unsuspecting viewers.

The growing sophistication of such attacks shows that platform verification no longer guarantees trust.

What matters now is how swiftly tech giants act to rebuild that trust before the next “official” livestream turns into another trap.