Fraud & scams
Ponzis in crypto form
A ponzi pays existing participants with new deposits. In crypto it wears technical clothing — yield, nodes, staking pools — but the core question stays: where does the money come from?
The only question that matters
Always ask where the yield comes from and demand a plain-language answer. Jargon without a verifiable source usually means the source is new deposits.
Real yield has a counterparty: someone pays interest, trading fees or for block space.
Pyramid versus ponzi
In a pyramid you earn by recruiting; in a ponzi returns are paid centrally from new deposits. Crypto cases often combine both.
Once recruitment matters more than the product, the structure is the product.
- Referral bonuses as the core mechanism
- Returns that do not vary with the market
- Withdrawals that slow down at size
Why it looks fine for a long time
While inflows exceed outflows everything works, which is exactly what sustains the model.
The turn comes without warning, often during a market decline when deposits dry up.
What regulators do
Regulators publish public warning lists of unlicensed providers; consult them before depositing.
Under MiCA, crypto service providers in the EU need a licence, so an unlicensed party actively soliciting EU clients is already a problem.
Frequently asked questions
How do I recognise a crypto ponzi?
Stable high returns without an identifiable source, heavy recruitment focus and withdrawals that get harder at size.
Is staking the same as a ponzi?
No. Real staking rewards come from protocol issuance and fees, verifiable on-chain.
Where do I check a licence?
With your national regulator and the EU registers maintained under MiCA.
Read next
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From guaranteed returns to fake platforms: the recurring patterns behind crypto fraud and the checks you can run in two minutes.
Rug pulls: how a project takes your money
Tokenomics, liquidity, anonymous teams and contract permissions: the checks that reveal whether a project can take your money.
What to do after crypto fraud
Step-by-step after fraud or theft: secure evidence, report to police and regulators, and avoid recovery scams.