Michaela
Crypto entrepreneur Lisa Edwards has criticized Elon Musk, CEO of X, over algorithm changes that are severely limiting the reach of crypto-related content. Edwards clаims some creators are seeing just 2 to 10 percent of their usual engagement, raising questions about Musk’s previously pro-crypto stance.
Key Points
- X’s latest algorithm changes significantly reduce engagement for crypto posts, sometimes to just 2–10% of normal reach.
- Common crypto phrases, price charts, and ticker symbols can trigger shadowbans or lower visibility.
- Certain users, including women and small accounts, are disproportionately affected due to AI training biases.
“As of the December 2025 algo update, anything that smells like “crypto” is getting quietly throttled into oblivion,” Edwards wrote in an X post. The crypto trader said she had been analyzing X’s algorithm and growth patterns, and observed that the latest update appears to have reduced engagement on her posts. Edwards reported a noticeable drop in likes, replies, and overall visibility, which she attributes to changes implemented by Musk.
Edwards claimed that a post featuring a price chart and target saw its reach drop by 80% overnight. She also reported that posts including a cryptocurrency ticker, identified by a dollar sign followed by three letters, such as $BTC for Bitcoin, triggered a shadowban lasting between 7 and 21 days.
Additionally, Edwards claimed that common crypto phrases like “to the moon,” “100x,” and “altseason” were flagged by X’s AI as spam, causing posts to be buried for weeks. She added that even legitimate threads received only 300 to 800 views if the user’s posting history over the past 90 days contained what she described as “too much crypto DNA.”
Edwards said these changes on X are intentional rather than accidental. She explained that throughout 2025, Musk emphasized “maximizing un-regretted user seconds” while his Grok AI was trained to prioritize content that keeps users engaged. According to Edwards, the AI determined that many users were fatigued by repetitive crypto posts, including laser eyes, ticker spam, and phrases like “wen lambo,” effectively treating such content like cigarette ads — still permitted on the platform, but largely invisible to anyone outside the existing crypto community.
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“The same mouth that pumped Doge to 70 cents is now choking the entire industry’s social media because “informational/entertainment ratio” apparently doesn’t include your daily market thread anymore,” Edwards wrote. She remarked that the changes have raised questions about Musk’s support for the crypto industry, noting, “We thought Elon was pro crypto.”
Furthermore, Edwards alleged that women, smaller accounts, and users whose content differed from the platform’s older crypto style were most affected by the algorithm changes. She said the AI was trained on data that was predominantly “95% bro posts” and has since treated similar content as the standard for crypto, penalizing posts that deviate from that pattern.
Edwards added that roughly half of the crypto creators she knows are now receiving only 2 to 10 percent of their usual reach, while meme pages on topics like cats and politics continue to attract millions of views and engagement.
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“This isn’t about “post better content.” This is the platform deciding that crypto talk itself is low-quality in 2026,” Edwards wrote.
The crypto trader’s post attracted a range of reactions from the online crypto community and had surpassed 200,000 views at the time of reporting. Bloсkchain and Bitcoin advocate Eli Afram noted that Edwards had included all the phrases she claimed would trigger a shadowban, yet the post still gained substantial traсtion. Edwards responded, explaining that the key phrases were placed in quotes and that the post had been “strategically written” to leverage the platform’s algorithm and maximize visibility.
Other crypto content creators expressed support for Edwards, with one noting that the current X algorithm appears to favor “controversial narratives, particularly those designed to provoke strong reactions.”
The situation spotlights the growing tension between crypto creators and social media platforms as algorithms increasingly shape what content reaches users. As the community adapts, many are experimenting with new ways to share insights and engage audiences, signаling that the conversation around crypto visibility on X is far from over.
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MICHAELA
Michaela is a news writer focused on cryptocurrency and blockchain topics. She prioritizes rigorous research and accuracy to uncover interesting angles and ensure engaging reporting. A lifelong book lover, she applies her passion for reading to deeply explore the constantly evolving crypto world.
