ZachXBT Sets Strict Rules for Accepting Crypto Theft Investigations

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT has publicly outlined the conditions under which he will investigate crypto theft cases, making it clear that most requests sent to him will not receive a response.

Replying to a user asking him to check their direct messages, ZachXBT said he will only review cases if four conditions are met. The theft must involve a single victim losing more than $250,000, the case must fall under a favorable jurisdiction, the blockchain involved must support his investigative work, and the incident must not involve memecoins or prediction markets.

His response shows a more selective approach as requests for help continue to grow across the crypto industry.

Supported Networks and Memecoin Stance

After publishing his requirements, another user asked which blockchain networks currently support his investigations.

ZachXBT replied that the chains providing recent grants or donations include Hyperliquid, BNB Smart Chain (BSC), Monad, and Arbitrum. Cases involving these ecosystems are therefore more likely to receive his attention, provided the other conditions are also satisfied.

He also doubled down on his position on memecoins after another user asked whether he supported a newly launched token. ZachXBT said he does not support or promote memecoins.

Instead, he revealed that he donated the entire $25,000 he received from selling a memecoin allocation to charity through The Giving Block, with the funds going to GiveDirectly to support victims of the recent Venezuela earthquakes. He also shared the on-chain transaction hash for the donation.

Different Investigators, Different Standards

ZachXBT’s investigation criteria differ from those used by other well-known fraud investigators. Investigative YouTuber Coffeezilla, whose real name is Stephen Findeisen, typically builds cases around evidence rather than financial thresholds.

His investigations focus on proving that a project’s financial claims are impossible, identifying hidden smart contract backdoors, tracing undisclosed payments to influencers or promoters, and confronting those involved before publishing his findings.

Coffeezilla rose to prominence through investigations into crypto projects such as SafeMoon and Save the Kids, where he combined blockchain analysis, leaked documents, interviews, and wallet tracking to uncover alleged misconduct.

His work has helped expose questionable crypto projects, but is driven by documented evidence rather than minimum loss amounts.

TRM Labs Focuses on Institutional Investigations

Unlike independent investigators, TRM Labs operates as a blockchain intelligence company serving financial institutions, crypto businesses, and law enforcement agencies.

Its platform provides services including wallet screening, transaction monitoring, compliance tools, fraud detection, scam reporting through Chainabuse, and blockchain training through TRM Academy.

The company also helps organizations verify sources of funds, assess crypto-related risks, monitor transactions for suspicious activity, evaluate counterparties, and identify potential money laundering or sanctions violations.

These tools are designed for large-scale compliance and investigations rather than handling individual victim reports.

While ZachXBT, Coffeezilla, and TRM Labs all investigate crypto-related fraud, each follows a different model. ZachXBT now prioritizes high-value thefts that meet strict criteria, Coffeezilla focuses on evidence-backed public investigations, and TRM Labs provides intelligence tools for institutions tasked with detecting and preventing crypto crime.

Related: ZachXBT Questions AscendEX Reserves as Users Report Weeks-Long Withdrawal Delays