Artificially creating positive news to drive up coin prices? Hooked’s significant price increase sparks controversy at the same time.

Kasou Kazoku
5 min readDec 4, 2023

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In the realm of digital currencies, market price fluctuations often come with intricate backstories. A recent case in point is Hooked Protocol (HOOK), whose token price surged by 20.50% in just seven days, reaching a new high of $1.09. However, the narrative behind this is far more intricate than the surface-level numbers suggest.

Hooked recently manipulated market sentiment by releasing a series of so-called “positive news,” cleverly influencing market dynamics. While this strategy may appear to bring short-term benefits to investors, it actually conceals a clear case of market manipulation. The team exploits information asymmetry by releasing positive news to attract investors. They then sell when the token price is artificially inflated to its peak, resulting in substantial profits. This practice not only serves as a typical example of market manipulation but also poses a threat to the healthy development of the cryptocurrency market.

The immediate consequence of such manipulation is the creation of a false sense of market prosperity, misleading investors, especially those with limited knowledge of the market. Next, we will delve into the intricately planned profit scheme by Hooked and its impact on the market and investors.

Behind the consecutive positive news, is Hooked Protocol genuinely committed to the project’s ecosystem?

In this orchestrated operation by Hooked Protocol, we witnessed a series of carefully planned market actions, with staggering influence and execution efficiency. It all began with a significant event on November 29, when Binance announced the removal of several liquidity pools, including Hook, on December 6. This should have had a negative impact on the value of HOOK, but the Hooked team’s response was remarkably strategic.

On the same day, Hooked Protocol announced their HOOK 2.0 proposal, suggesting the transformation of HOOK into a Gas Token within the appchain ecosystem. The proposal outlined plans to enhance its ecosystem applications, facilitating an on-chain upgrade. This announcement swiftly shifted the market sentiment towards HOOK, transforming from potential negative impact to optimistic expectations for its future applications.

Following closely on November 30th, on-chain analyst @ai_9684xtpa observed three significant whale/institutional addresses depositing 3.01 million HOOK into Binance within the past hour. These funds originated from the multi-signature address of the HOOK project. This move might be aimed at creating tension in the market, further boosting the price.

On the same day, Hooked Protocol released another significant update: the announcement of a $50 million Education Ecosystem Fund in collaboration with multiple educational institutions. The fund aims to explore new use cases for the HOOK token by strengthening the HOOK 2.0 ecosystem.

In a series of continuous positive news, it is evident that the Hooked team has meticulously planned to influence market sentiment through these upbeat developments, artificially boosting the token’s value. Examining this timeline, we can clearly see how the Hooked team manipulates token prices using news and market operations, showcasing not only their strategic planning but also exposing deep-rooted issues in market manipulation.

The series of questionable actions by Hooked may lead to stricter regulations, casting uncertainty on the future of the industry

In the enigmatic world of cryptocurrency, the Hooked Protocol story unfolds as a drama of market manipulation. Although they have not taken the next move, they have already stirred significant waves in the market. This theatrical manipulation not only challenges market mechanisms but also tests investor trust.

Imagine a scenario where market prices fluctuate due to planned news and fund operations, ordinary investors are likely to make incorrect investment decisions in the absence of complete information. The actions of Hooked, especially for investors unfamiliar with the intricacies of market operations, pose significant risks. They may be attracted by the illusion of a prosperous market at the moment, but ultimately face substantial financial losses.

This story is not just about a fluctuation in digital currency but about the loss of market trust. When the market becomes a playground for cunning participants, the principles of fair and transparent trading are trampled upon. Such behavior poses a serious threat to ordinary investors who lack in-depth market knowledge, as their investment decisions often rely on false market sentiments, resulting in severe losses.

The actions of Hooked also raise a larger issue: the regulation of the cryptocurrency market. In this emerging market of freedom and decentralization, the behavior of Hooked raises a serious question: how to maintain market freedom while protecting investors from unfair trading practices? Such market manipulation not only violates the fundamental principles of trading but may also breach existing legal and regulatory provisions.

Furthermore, such market operations may lead to drastic price fluctuations, causing market instability. Operations like those by Hooked not only undermine investor confidence but also threaten the overall stability and healthy development of the market. In the long run, this instability may hinder the maturity and growth of the cryptocurrency industry, affecting innovation and overall growth in the sector.

The crypto industry needs constant regulation, and in the future, more operations similar to Hooked may emerge.

In the Hooked incident, we not only witness its impact on a single market but also see the broad challenges it poses to the entire crypto market. This involves not only issues of trust and fairness but also how the market can achieve effective regulation while maintaining freedom to promote the overall health of the industry. Faced with these challenges, market participants and regulatory bodies are seeking appropriate solutions to safeguard investor interests and ensure the continued progress of the cryptocurrency industry.

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