Key Takeaways:

• Claims that X recently banned crypto promotions are misleading.
• Archived versions of X’s policy show crypto was already listed as an ineligible industry.
• The restriction applies specifically to organic paid partnership posts, not necessarily all crypto advertising on X.

A viral claim circulating online says that X (formerly Twitter) has just banned cryptocurrency promotions under a “new” Paid Partnership Policy.

But that claim is misleading.

Crypto was already listed as a prohibited industry for paid partnership promotions on X Public web archive of Wayback Machine shows that cryptocurrency has been categorized as “ineligible for paid partnership promotions” since at least 27 June 2024.

In other words, this is not a new ban, and it’s not a sudden policy change by X targeting crypto.

Crypto was already restricted under paid partnerships

X defines a “paid partnership” as a situation where a brand pays or rewards a creator to promote a product or service.

This includes:

• Getting paid to post about a product.
• Promoting something through an affiliate link.
• Receiving free products in exchange for promotion.
• Acting as a brand ambassador.

For instance, back in 2023, blockchain investigator ZachXBT accused crypto influencer Lark Davis of promoting low-cap tokens to his followers and then allegedly selling shortly afterward.

In a thread, ZachXBT shared eight examples and said he identified a wallet he believes is linked to Davis after tracing it to an NFT previously posted on X.

Under X’s Paid Partnerships Policy, specific industries are not allowed to use this paid partnership feature. These include adult content, gambling, weapons, and financial services.

Notably, the financial category includes:

• Loans
• Investment services
• “Buy now, pay later” services, like Klarna and Affirm
• Crypto

Crypto has been listed in this prohibited category since at least mid-2024, according to archived versions of the policy.

What actually changed in the policy?

Looking at the current Paid Partnerships Policy, there is no new crypto-specific restriction introduced.

The core framework remains the same:

• Paid Partnerships apply when a creator receives compensation, gifts, affiliate commissions, or has a commercial agreement (e.g., brand ambassador) to promote a product or service.
• Organic posts that qualify must enable the built-in “Paid Partnership” disclosure label through Content Disclosure settings.
• Content must comply with all applicable laws and X Rules.
• The product or call-to-action must be clearly promoted without requiring users to click additional links to understand what is being advertised.
• Violations can be reported through X’s online Paid Partnerships reporting form.

The policy also maintains a list of prohibited industries that cannot use the Paid Partnership feature, including adult content, alcohol, drugs, political issues for commercial purposes, health supplements, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, weapons, and weight loss products, among others.

Importantly, crypto is not newly added as a prohibited category in the Paid Partnerships policy.

It’s also critical to understand that Paid Partnerships are distinct from X’s formal advertising system (X Ads). Content that may not be eligible under organic Paid Partnerships could still potentially be allowed under X Ads, depending on separate advertising rules and approvals.

What this means for crypto creators

For early users, here’s the simple takeaway: X did not suddenly ban crypto content.

Users can still discuss Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and other digital assets. The restriction applies only to certain types of paid promotional posts using X’s Paid Partnership feature.

If someone is being paid to promote a crypto product through that branded content tool, it may not be allowed, but that rule has existed for some time. The recent update mainly clarified disclosure language and reporting processes.

At the same time, X is expanding its financial capabilities. The upcoming Smart Cashtags feature will let users tag specific assets or smart contracts and view real-time price data directly within posts. The system is expected to support near real-time on-chain data, reinforcing X’s push to become a real-time financial information hub.