{"investigation":{"slug":"uwerx","entity_name":"Uwerx","trust_score":12,"severity_base":null,"score_modifier":0,"confidence":0.75,"status":"published","content_type":"investigation","summary":"Uwerx (WERX) was a purported decentralized freelancing platform that conducted a multi-stage token presale in 2023 before suffering a flash loan exploit on August 2, 2023, one day after its Uniswap listing, resulting in the loss of approximately 176 ETH (~$324,000). Despite two prior smart contract audits by SolidProof and InterFi Network, neither audit identified the exploited vulnerability. The project subsequently relaunched on Polygon in October 2023 but has since been listed as abandoned on CoinSniper, with the token trading at effectively zero value and only six recorded holders as of early 2026.","sections":[{"content":"Uwerx positioned itself as the first global blockchain-powered freelance marketplace, presenting a decentralized alternative to platforms such as Upwork and Guru. The platform promised a 1% commission fee (compared to the industry standard of 5-20%), native integrations with Slack, Asana, and Trello, and governance rights through its native WERX utility token. The project conducted a multi-stage presale on Ethereum throughout 2023, during which the team increased the presale token allocation to 57% of the 750 million total token supply (approximately 427.5 million WERX tokens) citing strong investor demand. Token prices during the presale ranged from approximately $0.0475 to $0.095 per WERX. The presale concluded on July 31, 2023, and the token officially listed on Uniswap on August 1, 2023. Pre-launch marketing described the project as a legitimate enterprise, claiming a 25-year liquidity lock and dual security audits. The total amount raised during the presale has not been independently verified by a credible public source.","heading":"Project Overview and Presale","sources":[{"url":"https://medium.com/coinmonks/uwerx-werx-token-a-comprehensive-guide-4fb1a7f40ebd","name":"medium.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2023/07/31/uwerx-werx-network-presale-heating-up/","name":"en.cryptonomist.ch","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://coincodex.com/ico/uwerx/","name":"coincodex.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://beincrypto.com/ride-the-freelancing-and-crypto-booms-together-with-uwerx-werx/","name":"beincrypto.com","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"One day after Uwerx's Uniswap listing, on August 2, 2023, an attacker exploited a critical vulnerability in the WERX token's smart contract, draining approximately 174.78-176 ETH (valued at roughly $324,000-$327,000) from the platform's liquidity pool. The root cause was a flawed _transfer function that contained conditional logic burning an extra 1% of tokens when transfers targeted the hardcoded address 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000001. The attacker executed the following sequence: (1) obtained a flash loan of 20,000 ETH (worth over $36 million); (2) used the flash loan to acquire approximately 5,053,637 WERX tokens; (3) returned 4,429,817 WERX tokens to Uwerx's Uniswap liquidity pool, creating a reserve imbalance; (4) invoked UniswapV2's skim() function, directing the protocol to a specific address that triggered the 1% burn mechanism; (5) called the sync() function to artificially inflate the token price based on manipulated reserve data; and (6) profited from the resulting arbitrage. The WERX token price declined approximately 100% following the incident. Security analysts at PeckShield and CertiK identified and published analyses of the attack vector. The exploit occurred despite Uwerx having obtained two separate smart contract audits prior to launch, from SolidProof and InterFi Network, neither of which identified the exploited vulnerability.","heading":"The Flash Loan Exploit (August 2, 2023)","sources":[{"url":"https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/single/uwerx-exploit","name":"web3isgoinggreat.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://medium.com/neptune-mutual/how-was-the-uwerx-network-exploited-bcc68ef651ac","name":"medium.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2023/08/30/uwerx-confronts-challenge-with-swift-response-to-flash-loan-attack/","name":"thecoinrepublic.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://bitcoinist.com/uwerx-responds-to-hack-with-resolve-by-activating-relaunch-plans/","name":"bitcoinist.com","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"Uwerx had obtained two smart contract audits prior to its August 2023 launch: one from SolidProof and one from InterFi Network, both reportedly completed in early 2023. Both audits were publicly cited by Uwerx as evidence of project legitimacy during the presale. However, both audits failed to identify the flawed conditional transfer logic in the _transfer function that was subsequently exploited. This represents a significant failure of pre-launch security review. The specific vulnerability — applying arbitrary transfer rules based on the recipient's address, which proved exploitable in combination with flash loan mechanics and UniswapV2's skim() and sync() functions — was not flagged by either auditor. Following the exploit, the team contracted InterFi Network, SolidProof, and an additional independent auditor to review a new contract for the relaunch. The original Ethereum contract address is 0x4306b12f8e824ce1fa9604bbd88f2ad4f0fe3c54. The post-relaunch Polygon contract address is 0xa2d2d6dcC74F8cc71FF64e25999A9252e527c85f. The case demonstrates that passing a security audit does not guarantee protection against all attack vectors, particularly those combining smart contract logic with DeFi protocol mechanics.","heading":"Audit Failures and Security Concerns","sources":[{"url":"https://medium.com/neptune-mutual/how-was-the-uwerx-network-exploited-bcc68ef651ac","name":"medium.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.analyticsinsight.net/uwerx-werx-passes-an-audit-with-interfi-network-and-solidproof-binance-coin-bnb-and-cronos-cro-lose-investors/","name":"analyticsinsight.net","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://app.solidproof.io/projects/uwerx","name":"app.solidproof.io","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://etherscan.io/token/0x4306b12f8e824ce1fa9604bbd88f2ad4f0fe3c54","name":"etherscan.io","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://polygonscan.com/token/0xa2d2d6dcC74F8cc71FF64e25999A9252e527c85f","name":"polygonscan.com","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"The Uwerx team identified its members by first names only in official documentation: \"David\" as founder (described as a seasoned entrepreneur), \"Mark\" as Chief Operating Officer, \"Raul\" as Chief Technology Officer, and \"William\" as Chief Marketing Officer. No surnames, LinkedIn profiles, or independently verifiable professional credentials were publicly disclosed for any team member. Community critics noted that the team's anonymity made it difficult to assess accountability or track records. The project's gitbook documentation contained team bios but no verifiable external identities. This level of anonymity is a recognized risk factor in crypto projects, particularly following a security incident where accountability becomes critical. Whether the team's identities have been verified by any third party remains unknown based on available public sources.","heading":"Team Identity and Transparency","sources":[{"url":"https://uwerx.gitbook.io/uwerx-information/9-the-uwerx-team","name":"uwerx.gitbook.io","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.btcc.com/en-US/hashtag/uwerx%20scam","name":"btcc.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.btcc.com/en-US/academy/research-analysis/uwerx-price-prediction-what-exactly-is-uwerx","name":"btcc.com","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"Following the August 2, 2023 exploit, the Uwerx team announced a relaunch strategy that included migrating the token from Ethereum to the Polygon network. The relaunch occurred on October 25, 2023 on QuickSwap (Polygon's DEX), at a launch price of $0.056, with a new contract address and a 10-week vesting period featuring a sell tax declining from 30% to 0%. The team announced an airdrop for original WERX holders and conducted a buyback program, reportedly repurchasing and burning over 295,000 WERX tokens. A minimum viable product (MVP) of the freelancing platform was reportedly introduced on November 22, 2023. However, subsequent monitoring indicates that the project failed to gain meaningful traction. As of early 2026, the WERX token on Polygon has only six recorded holders, trades at effectively zero value, and has been listed as abandoned by CoinSniper. The token is currently not actively trading on major platforms. No evidence of a functioning freelancing platform has been independently verified by credible sources post-relaunch.","heading":"Relaunch Attempt and Project Abandonment","sources":[{"url":"https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2023-10-13/uwerx-rises-stronger-relaunch-date-announced-after-hack-incident/82177","name":"theportugalnews.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://bitcoinist.com/developers-unwavering-commitment-pays-off-as-uwerx-sets-relaunch-date/","name":"bitcoinist.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://coinbrain.com/coins/poly-0xa2d2d6dcc74f8cc71ff64e25999a9252e527c85f","name":"coinbrain.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://coinsniper.net/coin/46778","name":"coinsniper.net","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://polygonscan.com/token/0xa2d2d6dcC74F8cc71FF64e25999A9252e527c85f","name":"polygonscan.com","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"Prior to and during its presale, Uwerx received extensive promotional coverage across crypto media outlets including BeInCrypto, CoinPedia, Bitcoinist, The Cryptonomist, Analytics Insight, and Tekedia. The majority of this coverage reads as sponsored or press-release-based content rather than independent journalism, with articles using promotional language about Uwerx's prospects. Multiple outlets published content with titles such as \"Why Uwerx (WERX) Can Never Be an Exit Scam\" shortly before the exploit occurred. The concentration of paid-style promotional articles across low-to-medium credibility outlets during the presale period is consistent with patterns observed in projects that later underperform or fail. A dedicated BTCC article also tagged the project under the search term \"uwerx scam,\" indicating that negative sentiment reached aggregator platforms. The presale marketing materials, including claims about the 25-year liquidity lock and dual audits, were not sufficient safeguards against the eventual exploit and subsequent project failure.","heading":"Promotional Content and Marketing Concerns","sources":[{"url":"https://beincrypto.com/why-uwerx-werx-can-never-be-an-exit-scam/","name":"beincrypto.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://coinpedia.org/press-release/uwerx-set-to-get-back-in-game-with-relaunch-date-announcement/","name":"coinpedia.org","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.analyticsinsight.net/cryptocurrency-analytics-insight/uwerx-werx-token-presale-the-future-of-tokenized-freelance-work-in-crypto","name":"analyticsinsight.net","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.btcc.com/en-US/hashtag/uwerx%20scam","name":"btcc.com","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://www.tekedia.com/uwerx-werx-launching-first-decentralized-freelancing-and-gig-economy-platform-presale-slots-fast-running-out/","name":"tekedia.com","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"},{"content":"Uwerx has been flagged by ZachXBT, a well-known pseudonymous blockchain investigator whose on-chain forensics work has contributed to the recovery of over $350 million in funds for hack and scam victims according to Paradigm co-founder Matt Huang. ZachXBT's investigations typically combine blockchain transaction tracing, address clustering, and open-source intelligence techniques. While a specific public post by ZachXBT targeting Uwerx was not independently retrieved and verified during this investigation, the project's listing in databases associated with ZachXBT's flagged entities, combined with the documented exploit, abandoned status on CoinSniper, and near-zero token value, is consistent with the profile of projects ZachXBT identifies as high-risk or fraudulent. Community reporting on platforms such as CoinSniper has independently corroborated the project's abandoned status. The inability to locate a specific ZachXBT post citing Uwerx is noted as a limitation of this investigation; claims attributed to that flag should be treated as lower-confidence pending direct source verification.","heading":"ZachXBT Flag and Community Alerts","sources":[{"url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZachXBT","name":"en.wikipedia.org","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://zachxbt.mirror.xyz/","name":"zachxbt.mirror.xyz","type":"other","credibility":3},{"url":"https://coinsniper.net/coin/46778","name":"coinsniper.net","type":"other","credibility":3}],"severity":"medium"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2023-02","event":"SolidProof and InterFi Network complete smart contract audits of the original WERX token contract on Ethereum, reporting no critical issues.","source":"","date_original":"2023-02-01"},{"date":"2023-05","event":"Uwerx launches its multi-stage token presale on Ethereum, targeting retail crypto investors with promises of a decentralized freelancing platform.","source":"","date_original":"2023-05-01"},{"date":"2023-07-31","event":"Uwerx presale concludes. The team has allocated 57% of the 750 million total token supply (approximately 427.5 million WERX) to presale participants.","source":""},{"date":"2023-08","event":"WERX token officially lists on Uniswap (Ethereum). The launch is described by the team and affiliated media as successful.","source":"","date_original":"2023-08-01"},{"date":"2023-08-02","event":"A flash loan exploit drains approximately 174.78-176 ETH (~$324,000-$327,000) from Uwerx's Uniswap liquidity pool. The attack exploits a flawed conditional transfer rule in the _transfer function combined with Uniswap's skim() and sync() functions. WERX token price drops approximately 100%. PeckShield and CertiK publish analyses of the attack.","source":""},{"date":"2023-08-02","event":"Uwerx team publicly acknowledges the exploit, offers the attacker a 20% bounty to return the remaining 80% of stolen funds. The attacker does not comply.","source":""},{"date":"2023-08-22","event":"Uwerx team announces relaunch plans, including migration to Polygon network with a new contract address and additional security audits.","source":""},{"date":"2023-10-25","event":"WERX token relaunches on QuickSwap (Polygon DEX) at a price of $0.056. New Polygon contract address: 0xa2d2d6dcC74F8cc71FF64e25999A9252e527c85f. A 10-week vesting period with a declining sell tax is implemented.","source":""},{"date":"2023-11-22","event":"Uwerx team releases a reported MVP (minimum viable product) of the freelancing platform.","source":""},{"date":"2024-03-11","event":"A promotional article announces a 'new chapter' for Uwerx's platform build. No independent verification of platform functionality is available.","source":""},{"date":"2026-02-17","event":"The WERX token on Polygon records only 6 holders. The token trades at effectively zero value. CoinSniper lists the project as abandoned.","source":""}],"sources_used":[{"url":"https://medium.com/coinmonks/uwerx-werx-token-a-comprehensive-guide-4fb1a7f40ebd","name":"medium.com","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_error":"error:no-request","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2023/07/31/uwerx-werx-network-presale-heating-up/","name":"en.cryptonomist.ch","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_error":"error:not-found","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://coincodex.com/ico/uwerx/","name":"coincodex.com","type":"other","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260829233649/https://coincodex.com/ico/uwerx/","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-29T23:36:49+00:00"},{"url":"https://beincrypto.com/ride-the-freelancing-and-crypto-booms-together-with-uwerx-werx/","name":"beincrypto.com","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_error":"error:no-request","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/single/uwerx-exploit","name":"web3isgoinggreat.com","type":"other","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260830011449/https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com/single/uwerx-exploit","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-30T01:14:49+00:00"},{"url":"https://medium.com/neptune-mutual/how-was-the-uwerx-network-exploited-bcc68ef651ac","name":"medium.com","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2023/08/30/uwerx-confronts-challenge-with-swift-response-to-flash-loan-attack/","name":"thecoinrepublic.com","type":"other","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260829154614/https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2023/08/30/uwerx-confronts-challenge-with-swift-response-to-flash-loan-attack/","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-29T15:46:14+00:00"},{"url":"https://bitcoinist.com/uwerx-responds-to-hack-with-resolve-by-activating-relaunch-plans/","name":"bitcoinist.com","type":"other","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260829232951/https://bitcoinist.com/uwerx-responds-to-hack-with-resolve-by-activating-relaunch-plans/","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-29T23:29:51+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.analyticsinsight.net/uwerx-werx-passes-an-audit-with-interfi-network-and-solidproof-binance-coin-bnb-and-cronos-cro-lose-investors/","name":"analyticsinsight.net","type":"other","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260829143619/https://www.analyticsinsight.net/uwerx-werx-passes-an-audit-with-interfi-network-and-solidproof-binance-coin-bnb-and-cronos-cro-lose-investors","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-29T14:36:19+00:00"},{"url":"https://app.solidproof.io/projects/uwerx","name":"app.solidproof.io","type":"other","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20250910005923/https://app.solidproof.io/projects/uwerx","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2025-09-10T00:59:23+00:00"},{"url":"https://etherscan.io/token/0x4306b12f8e824ce1fa9604bbd88f2ad4f0fe3c54","name":"etherscan.io","type":"other","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260112011341/https://etherscan.io/token/0x4306b12f8e824ce1fa9604bbd88f2ad4f0fe3c54","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-01-12T01:13:41+00:00"},{"url":"https://polygonscan.com/token/0xa2d2d6dcC74F8cc71FF64e25999A9252e527c85f","name":"polygonscan.com","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://uwerx.gitbook.io/uwerx-information/9-the-uwerx-team","name":"uwerx.gitbook.io","type":"other","archive_url":"http://web.archive.org/web/20260314045712/https://uwerx.gitbook.io/uwerx-information/9-the-uwerx-team","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-03-14T04:57:12+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.btcc.com/en-US/hashtag/uwerx%20scam","name":"btcc.com","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_error":"error:not-found","archive_status":"unarchivable","archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://www.btcc.com/en-US/academy/research-analysis/uwerx-price-prediction-what-exactly-is-uwerx","name":"btcc.com","type":"other","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260829144713/https://www.btcc.com/en-US/academy/research-analysis/uwerx-price-prediction-what-exactly-is-uwerx","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-29T14:47:13+00:00"},{"url":"https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2023-10-13/uwerx-rises-stronger-relaunch-date-announced-after-hack-incident/82177","name":"theportugalnews.com","type":"other","archive_url":null,"credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":null},{"url":"https://bitcoinist.com/developers-unwavering-commitment-pays-off-as-uwerx-sets-relaunch-date/","name":"bitcoinist.com","type":"other","archive_url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260829181959/https://bitcoinist.com/developers-unwavering-commitment-pays-off-as-uwerx-sets-relaunch-date/","credibility":3,"archive_timestamp":"2026-08-29T18:19:59+00:00"},{"url":"https://coinbrain.com/coins/poly-0xa2d2d6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