FC Barcelona Instagram Hacked to Promote Fake $FCB Token on Solana Fans Warned About Scam
Fans of FC Barcelona faced a double blow yesterday as hackers briefly took over the club’s official Instagram account, promoting a seemingly legitimate cryptocurrency called "$FCB" on the Solana blockchain.
Claiming the club was “building something massive on Solana,” the attackers promised users that “we’re going to the moon,” sharing the token’s address across two separate posts.
The posts quickly gained traction, racking up a total of over 135 million likes, 3,660 comments, and 2,399 reposts before the club regained control of its account.
Fake Coins and Fan Exploitation: How Scammers Target Global Brands
The $FCB token scam leveraged Barcelona’s 144 million Instagram followers and the hype around Solana, a blockchain known for fast, low-cost transactions.
Hackers presented the token as an official club initiative, offering special rewards and early access benefits.
Unsuspecting fans who tried to purchase or trade the token risked losing funds, with no recourse due to the decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies.
This type of attack is reminiscent of high-profile social media hacks in 2020, when several celebrity Twitter accounts were compromised to promote Bitcoin giveaway scams, netting attackers over $100,000 within minutes.
The FC Barcelona incident illustrates how trusted brands and influential figures are used to manipulate users into sending digital assets.
How Much Damage Did the Fake $FCB Token Cause
The $FCB token experienced typical Solana memecoin volatility.
Created at 0:45 AM UTC, its market value quickly rose to $3 million before crashing to just $47,800.
@FCBarcelona Instagram account got hacked, hacker posted some promotional posts of a fake coin $FCB
▫️ The scam token pumped to $3 Million before crashing to $45,000
▫️ There is no statement issued yet from the club yet
▫️ The coin was launched on pump fun with a fake… pic.twitter.com/m3ty2ktP4s
— Crypto Aman (@cryptoamanclub) October 7, 2025
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Trading volume for the first 24 hours reached $3.5 million, while the token’s creator earned nearly $26,000 in rewards via Pump.fun.
Are Football Clubs Really Entering Crypto or Just Fan Tokens
While a real FC Barcelona crypto project isn’t impossible, there has been no official announcement from the club.
Barcelona previously partnered with Socios in 2023 to release a “fan token” and has featured crypto sponsors such as Whitebit and Chilix on its kit.
Source: X
Whitebit, a crypto exchange with links to Justin Sun, remains a current sponsor of the club.
Other football clubs, including Inter Milan, Flamengo, AS Roma, PSG, and Tottenham Hotspur, have also engaged in crypto sponsorships or fan token initiatives, though the overall market appears relatively dormant, with 64 fan tokens holding a combined market cap of $296,000 according to CoinGecko.
Why Fans Need to Be Cautious About Crypto Promotions
The FC Barcelona hack is a stark reminder that even well-known brands can be exploited for scams.
Fans and investors are advised to verify official announcements across multiple channels and to use exchanges and wallets with robust security measures, such as two-factor authentication and official verification.
Understanding the underlying blockchain and exercising caution with unverified tokens can prevent potential losses.
Is This Part of a Growing Trend Against Fans and Brands
This attack mirrors a similar scam on 1 October 2025, when Disney’s Instagram account was briefly hijacked to promote a fake "Disney Solana" coin, with victims reportedly losing thousands of dollars.
FC Barcelona fans, already facing disappointment after a 4-1 defeat to Sevilla at the weekend, now contend with losses from a scam that preyed on both trust and excitement around crypto.