Key Takeaways:
- X will update API policy to block fee-pools apps without users’ consent.
- X’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier said that spam crypto has a negative impact on millions of users just to bring benefits for a few people.
- “Smart Cashtags” is about to allow users trading stocks and crypto directly on X platform.
X is tightening its stance on crypto-driven spam while preparing to expand in-app trading tools. The platform’s product chief made it clear: growth in crypto must not come at the cost of user experience.
Read More: X Removes InfoFi Apps to Cleanse Crypto Spam and AI Slop Off Feed
X Cracks Down on “Claim Your Fees” Spam
Nikita Bier, Head of Product at X, publicly criticized what he called a dishonest narrative around “claim your fees” campaigns.
I genuinely want crypto to proliferate on X, but applications that create incentives to spam, raid, and harass random users is not the way.
It meaningfully degrades the experience for millions of people — only to enrich a few people.
And yes, we are launching a number of…
— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) February 14, 2026
These campaigns typically encourage users to reply to posts to generate engagement-linked crypto rewards. According to Bier, once a prominent account participates, replies quickly devolve into price-pumping demands.
To address this, X plans to revise its API rules. Apps that create fee pools for users who did not explicitly opt in will be blocked. The move targets automated incentive systems that fuel spam, raids, and harassment.
Bier stated he supports crypto adoption on X. However, he stressed that products designed to manufacture engagement through financial incentives degrade the platform for millions of users.
Balancing Crypto Growth with Platform Health
Crypto has long had a presence on X, especially through ticker-style “cashtags” such as $BTC. The tags allows users to monitor assets within the chat.
But all the incentive-oriented features are giving me a headache. Once engagement equals payment, the feed becomes filled with the same remarks repeatedly that makes conversations awkward and causes signal distortion, making a data-mining exercise of some sort.
The senior citizens at X apparently have a desire to ensure that the platform does not become a hacker-and-defense-focused playground based on token-farming.
The new API update indicates that the plans of making money should be aligned with the user permission and maintain the platform sound.
Read More: Nansen Opens AI-Powered Onchain Trading to All Users With 0.25% Fees and Built-In Wallet
Smart Cashtags: Trading from the Timeline
From Price Tracking to Instant Execution
Concurrently, X is expanding its financial tool set. Bier confirmed that “Smart Cashtags” will be introduced in the next few weeks. This function upgrades current cashtags into interactive transaction gates. Instead of just asset price view, users can access charts, publish relevant posts and conduct direct trading right on self-timeline. This function will be applied for stock and cryptos also.
The update builds on financial tools introduced after Elon Musk acquired the platform. Musk has repeatedly described his ambition to turn X into an “everything app,” combining social media, payments, and trading in one interface.
With hundreds of millions of monthly users, integrating trading could position X as a discovery-to-execution pipeline. A user reading about Bitcoin could move from conversation to transaction in seconds.
