The official X account for heavy metal band Metallica was hacked, and the hackers took advantage of the breach to promote a Solana token called METAL. However, Metallica’s team has regained control of the account and has deleted all posts related to the token. The initial post about the token, made on June 26, claimed that it was created in partnership with Ticketmaster and launched on the Solana-based token deployer pump.fun. However, Ticketmaster did not make any announcement regarding this partnership and has not responded to requests for comment.
Metallica’s account also mentioned fintech firm MoonPay’s involvement with the token, but MoonPay’s president, Keith Grossman, dismissed this claim in a post, stating that MoonPay does not support METAL. MoonPay later posted a message saying that anyone offering the METAL token is engaging in scams, referencing Metallica’s hit album and single, “Master of Puppets.”
Following the hack, several posts were made to attract buyers, claiming that METAL token holders could redeem exclusive items such as free concert tickets, custom gaming consoles, and merchandise. One post even suggested that the token would offer staking rewards.
Shortly after its launch, the METAL token briefly reached a value of $3.37 million, but its value quickly plummeted. Within three hours, its total market capitalization fell to $90,000, representing a significant decline. The token’s price has since dropped over 97% from its peak.
It remains unclear how Metallica’s account was breached, and the band and its management team have not been available for immediate comment. This article has been updated to correct the headline and include information from MoonPay.