Shiba Inu warns of 366 fake TREAT tokens on Ethereum
In brief
- Over 366 Ethereum tokens use TREAT ticker, creating scam risks for users
- Official TREAT token exists on Ethereum and Shibarium with distinct contract addresses
- Community warns: verify contract addresses, never rely on ticker symbols alone
- Shibarium x402 upgrade enables instant, low-cost internet-native payments
The TREAT Ticker Problem
Over 366 tokens on Ethereum share the TREAT ticker, creating significant risk for users who rely solely on token names to identify assets. The official TREAT token for the Shiba Inu ecosystem exists on both Ethereum and Shibarium, but an older Ethereum token using the TREAT name dates back to January 13, 2023 and is a separate token not associated with the Shiba Inu ecosystem.
This proliferation of lookalike tokens is a known attack vector in crypto. Scammers exploit ticker confusion to trick users into buying worthless tokens or sending assets to wrong addresses. The warning urges users to verify the contract address and never to identify a token by its ticker alone.
Mazrael put it plainly: "If anyone is saying there are two tokens with that ticker, it's low-key an ad for scammers."
Shibarium Receives x402 Upgrade
Beyond the warning, Shiba Inu's layer-2 Shibarium received an upgrade with x402 going live on the network. x402 is an open, neutral standard for internet-native payments that enables instant, low-cost transactions between clients and servers.
The standard is designed for API monetization, agentic commerce, paywalled content, and scenarios where traditional payment methods are too slow or expensive. Permit2, the x402 proxy, and SignatureValidator are deployed at the same canonical addresses on Ethereum, Base, Polygon, and Shibarium, enabling interoperability across chains.
AI agents can pay in SHIB, TREAT, or wrapped BONE on Shibarium via x402, expanding use cases for the ecosystem's native tokens in automated transactions.
Frequently asked questions
Why is verifying contract addresses important?
Over 366 tokens on Ethereum use the TREAT ticker. Scammers exploit ticker confusion to trick users into buying worthless tokens. The official TREAT exists on Ethereum and Shibarium with distinct contract addresses. Always verify the contract address before transacting, not just the ticker or name.
What is x402 and why does it matter for Shibarium?
x402 is an open standard for internet-native payments enabling instant, low-cost transactions. It's designed for API monetization, agentic commerce, and paywalled content. Shibarium deployed x402 at canonical addresses shared with Ethereum, Base, and Polygon, allowing AI agents to pay in SHIB, TREAT, or wrapped BONE.
