Is ZachXBT really an unbiased on-chain investigator?

I've got serious doubts about these so-called blockchain forensics folks on Twitter (X). I wouldn't put my weight behind anything from someone unknown on there, but it definitely raises questions about how credible ZachXBT is and whether his analysis is really independent and objective. So here's the thing: Zach has taken donations from some big names. Changpeng Zhao kicked in $50k, Justin Sun threw in $10k. Jesse Powell from Kraken and Sandeep Nailwal, one of the guys behind Polygon, are also listed as donors. Then there are claims that Zach got $580k from Optimism, $254k from Hyperliquid, $150k from BC.Game, and $53k from Bybit. Yet, none of these donations have been looked into by Zach. What’s interesting is the Hyperliquid case. Zach wrote 7 critical pieces on them, but after getting a nice donation, he just dropped all further investigation. There's also some talk about him manipulating the ZACHXBT token, which is valued at $3.87 million. Check out this thread for more info: https://x.com/matthewabides/status/2057648404533010668

The guy was doing great work but I don't think he is "independent" as he claimed, he is very good at doing selective investigations and blindfold when it's time to track some companies. Perhaps he feel he will lose his relevant, I'm not sure but he is not clean. How can an anonymous dev create a meme token on your name and airdrop 50% of the supply to your address and you claimed you know nothing about the coin and you went ahead and used it to provide liquidity, you let the coin pumped with huge liquidity shifted to sol since people already assumed the token was in his name, the meme frenzy expected and he quietly withdrew his liquidity with huge sol on the box. My red flags. 1. From day 1 that I have been following him, Zach hate meme coiners, he has exposed many influencers and actors for launching meme coins and failing their followers. 2. He knew he couldn't dump the supply, 50% will kill the price. 3. He waited for the liquidity reserve of Sol to increase, that was the plan and then removed liquidity with more more sol and burn the rest of the tokens. Which heist can be so perfect like this one? There was one investigation he did about an insider trading by an exchange that spark reaction on Polymarket and schedule a day to exposed the company. As expected, Polymarket listed some exchanges for people to predict, lo and behold the one with much bet was the outcome. I was so skeptical about investigation of insider trading turned to another insider gambling and prediction and every think it's normal. Na! That guy is not real.

You're correct to follow the money. The answer almost always lies somewhere within it. After NYSE and CME called for increaing regulatory pressure on Hyperliquid he called out their hypocrisy for not doing the same to Polymarket, which is also known as a platform where lots of insider trading occurs, due to the fact that they are among investors in it. This is a very beautiful and ironic situation as both Zach and NYSE/CME are "a part of the same hypocrisy" (as Michael Corleone would say). His research has always been good and in some cases helped recover a lot of stolen money and most definitely prevented potential future losses, but he closes his eyes on some situations for we can only guess what reason.

It's like people who make videos on Youtube for becoming influencers there, after that they will change and use their channels for sponsored videos. When they receive money for sponsored videos, it's unrealistic to believe that they will keep their videos neutral and not biased with positive words for the sponsored companies/ brands. Zach is the same, even he did previous good on chain analyses, I am not surprised to see he changed and began to have biased activities, it's similar to review websites.

I think there isnt such thing as a 100% unbiased analysis. People always have their own personal preferences, opinions etc. When someone get so much attention like ZachXBT it becomes even more complicated because he has lots of sponsors. I think if he doesnt investigate some people isnt a problem..  the problem starts if he make claims that are opposed to his findings.

I agree, his analyses are still good. He may be biased, but to reduce his credibility he should make a wrong analysis, not ignore making an analysis.

So if someone donates, they can rest assured that they won't become the subject of an investigation? In that case, we cannot say that he is investigating objectively and impartially, but that he may even be investigating cases for which someone pays him to do so. If my memory serves me well, he is one of those who were extremely negative in the case of the investigation against eXch,, and I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens with an exchange promoted on this forum (unless they become donors).

Independent? I think that was when he started off but right now we can not say that, because before this donations were done by these people he actually was calling for support for funding and even said certain chains cannot be investigated by him like BNB chain because he doesn’t have the resources and then all of sudden we read he now supports BNB chain followed by the donations from this chain founders. I think is enough to conclude that he is definitely not longer independent and we all know is selective in his investigation, he will be investigating the chains which is giving grants but definitely will not be reporting most of the scams if they were orchestrated by his funders

I think at start yeah we can say way back before that he's independent blockchain investigator, but now that he's accepting donations from those companies this one give stain on his reputation and obviously I think make them not an independent investigator anymore. Some argue that he's still an independent since he disclose all the donations he receive and he's transparent with that. But the question there is he going to give fair investigation result if the subject is one of those companies donates huge funds to him?

It is possible if it is shown that he turns his head the other way from those companies/individuals who donated money to him. Let everyone decide for themselves whether it is a coincidence that none of the donors were under investigation (and they probably won't be), and whether that is something that makes a good investigator. He's in this business for the money, not to play the good guy who helps bust scams.

I been long follower of ZachXBT and to be honest, he is really good at doing investigations of crypto fraud and other scams. At this point, I don't believe his working alone last time he is now Advisor at paradigm one of the longest and big VC in crypto industry. The last time I read he's investigating a token called RAVE and he tags big Exchange like bitget and bybit. And like others said, he chose the case very carefully and the project that he always investigates is always a 3-figure minimum, the allegation of memecoin I don't think the creator is him, im not blindly defend but the case of Vitalik also get airdropped by shiba and later on vitalik is selling the token too. But yeah when he locked one case, he just made bounty with at least 5K