Rapper and entrepreneur Kanye West, also known as Ye, has revealed that he turned down a $2 million offer to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme.
According to West, the deal involved posting a misleading promotion and later claiming his account had been hacked.
Kanye West made the revelation through a series of posts on X, where he also expressed a growing interest in cryptocurrency. One of his tweets, which garnered over 7.5 million views, questioned the legitimacy of wealth generated through digital assets: “ WHEN PEOPLE MAKE ALL THAT MONEY WITH A COIN IS THAT CASH OR CONCEPT”
In a separate post, West hinted at plans to buy cryptocurrency without intermediaries. He shared a screenshot of a conversation in which he asked for a trusted contact to facilitate a direct purchase. The response pointed him toward Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, suggesting the rapper might be considering a significant over-the-counter (OTC) crypto transaction. It remains unclear whether West and Armstrong have since connected.
This is not West's first interaction with the crypto world. In 2014, he took legal action against the creators of “Coinye,” a meme coin that used his likeness without permission. The project was shut down after West’s legal team issued a cease-and-desist letter.
Speculation has also emerged about the possibility of a “Ye Coin,” with some predicting it could become a major meme coin if West decides to launch one. However, no official plans have been announced.