Audit log

Every state-changing event for Axiom Exchange — Employee Insider Trading Scandal: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions are designed to carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key. Archive coverage is still being backfilled, so each decision below reports its own snapshot status rather than assuming one exists.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-08-01 17:10:11Z
   Score: ? → ? (no score change)
   anchorpending

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   BU7fmCJguJNg…gamLvVijcopysha256 → base58

   verifying row…

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   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"f560fedf-cb5b-4bac-8635-73da15489f52","kind":"publish","page_slug":"axiom-exchange-employee-insider-trading-scandal","published_at":"2026-08-01T17:10:11.588Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Axiom Exchange — Employee Insider Trading Scandal","sections":[{"content":"Axiom (axiom.trade) is a non-custodial Solana trading terminal that combines spot execution, token discovery, wallet tracking, Hyperliquid perpetuals, yield products, and prediction markets in a single interface. It was founded in 2024 by Henry Zhang (known online as 'Mist') and Preston Ellis (known online as 'Cal'), both in their early twenties and recent graduates of UC San Diego and UC Berkeley respectively. Zhang previously worked on generative AI for advertisements at TikTok; Ellis had interned at DoorDash. The pair were mentored by prominent crypto figure Jordan 'Cobie' Fish. Axiom participated in Y Combinator's Winter 2025 batch and launched in early access shortly thereafter. The company set a Y Combinator revenue record, reportedly generating over $390 million in total revenue as of early 2026, making it one of the fastest-growing companies in YC history. Axiom does not require KYC for users and markets itself as a privacy-preserving, non-custodial platform. Despite its non-custodial user-facing architecture, the company operated internal support and analytics dashboards with access to linked wallet addresses, transaction histories, referral codes, and account identifiers.","heading":"Company Overview","severity":"low","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Y Combinator-Backed Axiom Exchange Employees Accused of Insider Trading — Decrypt","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/359223/y-combinator-backed-axiom-employees-accused-insider-trading-zachxbt"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Axiom — Y Combinator company page","type":"official","url":"https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/axiom"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading using sensitive customer data — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"}]},{"content":"On February 26, 2026, blockchain investigator ZachXBT published an investigation alleging that Broox Bauer, a senior business development employee based in New York, abused Axiom's internal customer support dashboard to access sensitive user data and share it with outside individuals for the purpose of front-running trades. According to ZachXBT, the internal tools allowed lookups by referral code, wallet address, or user ID, and returned linked wallet lists, transaction histories, wallet nicknames, and account identifiers. In a recorded call cited in the investigation, Bauer is alleged to have stated: 'if you have a wallet or a ref code or a user ID, any of those three, I can find out anything to do with that person... I can probably research about 10 to 20 wallets each day' — with a stated strategy of scaling lookups gradually to avoid raising suspicion. An alleged co-participant identified as 'Gowno' (Seb), described as a recently hired Axiom moderator, was allegedly told in a February 2026 recording that Bauer could help him generate $200,000 quickly by exploiting internal access. A third individual referred to as 'Ryan' (Ryucio) was also allegedly described in the recordings as using the internal dashboard to look up users on behalf of others. Specific incidents cited include an April 2025 screenshot of private wallets connected to a trader identified as 'Jerry' being distributed, and an August 2025 incident where registration details and linked wallet addresses for a trader known as 'Monix' were allegedly shared. A Google Sheet compiling wallet addresses associated with multiple crypto influencers was also alleged to have been assembled by the group. The alleged purpose was to monitor early token accumulation by influential traders before public promotion, then enter positions ahead of price moves. ZachXBT noted that 'without access to Axiom's internal logs,' definitive proof of profitable trades derived from this access would require further verification. On-chain researchers subsequently alleged a connection between Bauer and a Polymarket position described in the Polymarket Insider Trading section below.","heading":"Insider Trading Allegations","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading using sensitive customer data — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT names Axiom in investigation into alleged employee insider trading — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/391423/zachxbt-investigation-into-alleged-employee-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Breaking: ZachXBT accuses Axiom employees of insider trading — crypto.news","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Leaked Call, Private Wallets, $200K Plan: Inside the Axiom Insider Trading Allegations — CryptoPotato","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptopotato.com/leaked-call-private-wallets-200k-plan-inside-the-axiom-insider-trading-allegations/"},{"credibility":3,"name":"ZachXBT on X — founding and revenue context","type":"social_media","url":"https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2027016082536714503"}]},{"content":"ZachXBT's investigation explicitly noted that 'there was little to no monitoring or access controls in place to mitigate this abuse from happening in the first place.' Despite positioning itself as a non-custodial, privacy-preserving trading terminal, Axiom operated internal dashboards accessible to at least business development and moderation staff that exposed comprehensive user wallet information. The platform did not require KYC from its users, which increased the sensitivity of any wallet-linkage data held internally, as the linking of pseudonymous wallet addresses to platform accounts constitutes precisely the data an adversarial insider could exploit. Forbes framing at the time described the incident as emblematic of 'crypto's recurring governance failure,' noting that the company's rapid growth had not been matched by proportional investment in internal security architecture. The alleged scheme is said to have run for approximately ten months beginning shortly after Axiom's January 2025 launch without detection.","heading":"Internal Access Controls and Governance Failures","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Axiom Became YC's Biggest Hit. But Someone Was Watching — Forbes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/boazsobrado/2026/02/26/axiom-became-ycs-biggest-hit-then-someone-was-watching/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading using sensitive customer data — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Exchange Insider Trading Scandal Exposes Crypto Prediction Markets — Ainvest","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.ainvest.com/news/axiom-exchange-insider-trading-scandal-exposes-crypto-prediction-markets-2602/"}]},{"content":"Prior to ZachXBT's publication, a Polymarket prediction contract titled 'Which crypto company will ZachXBT expose for insider trading?' attracted significant speculative interest. The market launched on February 23, 2026, and eventually generated approximately $39.7 million in total trading volume before settlement. On-chain analysts at Lookonchain identified 12 wallets that collectively profited over $1 million by heavily positioning on Axiom before the investigation went public. A separate analysis by Polysights flagged five wallets that wagered approximately $50,000 and withdrew $266,000. The largest single position was held by an account labeled 'predictorxyz,' which accumulated 477,415 Axiom shares at an average price of $0.14, generating approximately $411,000 in profit — roughly a sevenfold return. On-chain researchers also alleged, though without conclusive proof, that wallet addresses connected to Broox Bauer were among those that profited on Polymarket ahead of the reveal. Because Polymarket does not require identity verification, definitive attribution of these prediction market positions to specific individuals remains unconfirmed as of the time of this report. The situation created a noted irony: an investigation exposing insider trading at a crypto exchange was itself surrounded by alleged insider trading on a decentralized prediction market.","heading":"Polymarket Prediction Market — Secondary Insider Trading Allegations","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Polymarket bettors appear to have insider-traded on a market designed to catch insider traders — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Insiders cashed in before Axiom reveal, Wallets bagged $1M on Polymarket — Cryptopolitan","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/insiders-cashed-in-before-axiom-reveal-wallets-bagged-1m-on-polymarket/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Axiom Expose Sparked 411% Polymarket Returns — The Coin Republic","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2026/02/28/zachxbt-axiom-expose-sparked-411-polymarket-returns-as-an-insider-bet-at-13-8-odds/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Wallet Tracking Scandal Tied To $400K Polymarket Insider Bets — BlockNow","type":"news_article","url":"https://blocknow.com/axiom-wallet-tracking-scandal-tied-to-400k-polymarket-insider-bets/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Which crypto company will ZachXBT expose for insider trading? — Polymarket","type":"other","url":"https://polymarket.com/event/which-crypto-company-will-zachxbt-expose-for-insider-trading"}]},{"content":"Following publication of ZachXBT's investigation on February 26, 2026, Axiom issued a public statement: 'We are shocked and disappointed to hear that someone on our team abused internal customer support tools to look up user wallets.' The company stated it had removed access to the affected internal tools and pledged to 'continue to investigate and hold the offending parties responsible.' Bauer was reported to have been suspended pending investigation. Axiom did not publicly disclose the findings of any subsequent internal investigation, nor did it announce any compensation mechanism for users whose wallet data was allegedly accessed without authorization. No formal regulatory charge, DOJ referral, or SEC action against Axiom or any named individual had been publicly announced as of the time of this report. ZachXBT noted that prosecutorial jurisdiction, if pursued, would likely fall under the Southern District of New York given Bauer's location.","heading":"Company Response","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading using sensitive customer data — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT names Axiom in investigation into alleged employee insider trading — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/391423/zachxbt-investigation-into-alleged-employee-insider-trading"}]},{"content":"As of the time of this report, no formal regulatory action by the SEC, CFTC, or DOJ has been publicly announced in connection with the Axiom insider trading allegations. ZachXBT referenced the Southern District of New York as the likely jurisdictional venue given Bauer's New York residence, but no indictment, civil complaint, or enforcement referral has been confirmed in public records. Axiom Exchange is a non-custodial platform that does not hold customer funds; the applicable legal framework for insider trading charges at such a platform — particularly given the absence of a formal securities classification for the memecoins and Solana-native tokens at issue — remains unsettled as of the date of this investigation. Whether the alleged conduct constitutes securities fraud, wire fraud, computer fraud under the CFAA, or some other charge would likely depend on prosecutorial decisions. This section will require update if charges are filed.","heading":"Regulatory and Legal Status","severity":"medium","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom insider trading: senior staffer alleged misconduct — Cryptonomist","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/02/26/axiom-insider-trading/"}]},{"content":"ZachXBT's investigation included on-chain analysis linking wallet activity to exchange deposit addresses, audio recordings, and screenshots. The investigator explicitly cautioned that 'without access to Axiom's internal logs,' establishing a definitive causal chain between unauthorized data access and profitable trades requires further verification. On-chain researchers separately alleged that wallet addresses associated with Broox Bauer profited approximately $421,000 on Polymarket through advance knowledge of ZachXBT's investigation target, which would constitute a secondary layer of alleged misconduct distinct from the underlying front-running scheme. These on-chain allegations remain attributed to named on-chain analysts and aggregation platforms (Lookonchain, Polysights) rather than court-verified records, and should be treated as medium-confidence pending formal legal proceedings.","heading":"On-Chain Evidence Assessment","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"Insiders cashed in before Axiom reveal, Wallets bagged $1M on Polymarket — Cryptopolitan","type":"on_chain","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/insiders-cashed-in-before-axiom-reveal-wallets-bagged-1m-on-polymarket/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Wallet Tracking Scandal Tied To $400K Polymarket Insider Bets — BlockNow","type":"on_chain","url":"https://blocknow.com/axiom-wallet-tracking-scandal-tied-to-400k-polymarket-insider-bets/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Exposes $390M Axiom Exchange Insider Trading Scandal in NYC — CryptoNinjas","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptoninjas.net/news/zachxbt-exposes-390m-axiom-exchange-insider-trading-scandal-in-nyc/"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"ZachXBT alleges Axiom employee conducted insider trading — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Axiom Became YC's Biggest Hit. But Someone Was Watching — Forbes","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/boazsobrado/2026/02/26/axiom-became-ycs-biggest-hit-then-someone-was-watching/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Polymarket bettors appear to have insider-traded on a market designed to catch insider traders — CoinDesk","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Solana trading platform employees accused of insider trading using sensitive customer data — DL News","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT names Axiom in investigation into alleged employee insider trading — The Block","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/391423/zachxbt-investigation-into-alleged-employee-insider-trading"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Y Combinator-Backed Axiom Exchange Employees Accused of Insider Trading — Decrypt","type":"news_article","url":"https://decrypt.co/359223/y-combinator-backed-axiom-employees-accused-insider-trading-zachxbt"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Exposes $390M Axiom Exchange Insider Trading Scandal in NYC — CryptoNinjas","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptoninjas.net/news/zachxbt-exposes-390m-axiom-exchange-insider-trading-scandal-in-nyc/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Exchange Insider Trading Scandal Exposes Crypto Prediction Markets — Ainvest","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.ainvest.com/news/axiom-exchange-insider-trading-scandal-exposes-crypto-prediction-markets-2602/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Breaking: ZachXBT accuses Axiom employees of insider trading — crypto.news","type":"news_article","url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Insiders cashed in before Axiom reveal, Wallets bagged $1M on Polymarket — Cryptopolitan","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.cryptopolitan.com/insiders-cashed-in-before-axiom-reveal-wallets-bagged-1m-on-polymarket/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Axiom Expose Sparked 411% Polymarket Returns — The Coin Republic","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2026/02/28/zachxbt-axiom-expose-sparked-411-polymarket-returns-as-an-insider-bet-at-13-8-odds/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom Wallet Tracking Scandal Tied To $400K Polymarket Insider Bets — BlockNow","type":"news_article","url":"https://blocknow.com/axiom-wallet-tracking-scandal-tied-to-400k-polymarket-insider-bets/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ZachXBT Names Axiom Exchange in Alleged Employee Crypto Insider Trading Investigation — CoinGape","type":"news_article","url":"https://coingape.com/zachxbt-names-axiom-exchange-in-alleged-employee-crypto-insider-trading-investigation/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Insider Trading Allegations Hit Axiom Over Access To Private Wallet Information — Yellow.com","type":"news_article","url":"https://yellow.com/news/insider-trading-allegations-hit-axiom-over-access-to-private-wallet-information"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Leaked Call, Private Wallets, $200K Plan: Inside the Axiom Insider Trading Allegations — CryptoPotato","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptopotato.com/leaked-call-private-wallets-200k-plan-inside-the-axiom-insider-trading-allegations/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom staff member abused internal access for insider trading — CryptoBriefing","type":"news_article","url":"https://cryptobriefing.com/axiom-insider-trading-zachxbt/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Axiom insider trading: senior staffer alleged misconduct — Cryptonomist","type":"news_article","url":"https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2026/02/26/axiom-insider-trading/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Which crypto company will ZachXBT expose for insider trading? — Polymarket","type":"other","url":"https://polymarket.com/event/which-crypto-company-will-zachxbt-expose-for-insider-trading"},{"credibility":3,"name":"ZachXBT on X — founding and revenue context","type":"social_media","url":"https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2027016082536714503"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Axiom — Y Combinator company page","type":"official","url":"https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/axiom"}],"summary":"Axiom Exchange is a Y Combinator-backed, non-custodial Solana trading terminal founded in 2024 that generated over $390 million in revenue within roughly a year of launch. On February 26, 2026, blockchain investigator ZachXBT published findings alleging that at least one senior employee, Broox Bauer, systematically abused internal customer support tools to access private wallet data and share it with outside parties for front-running purposes, a scheme alleged to have operated for approximately ten months. The company issued a statement expressing disappointment, revoked access to the affected tools, and pledged an internal investigation, but no formal regulatory or legal charges had been announced as of the time of this report.","timeline":[{"date":"2024-01-01","event":"Axiom Exchange founded by Henry Zhang (Mist) and Preston Ellis (Cal); accepted into Y Combinator Winter 2025 batch.","source":"DL News / Forbes","source_url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"date":"2025-01-01","event":"Axiom launches in early access on Solana. Alleged internal tool abuse begins shortly after launch, according to ZachXBT's investigation.","source":"DL News","source_url":"https://www.dlnews.com/articles/defi/axiom-employees-accused-of-insider-trading-using-sensitive-customer-data/"},{"date":"2025-04-01","event":"Alleged incident: Broox Bauer allegedly distributes a screenshot of private wallets connected to a trader identified as 'Jerry' obtained via internal dashboard.","source":"CryptoBriefing / CryptoPotato","source_url":"https://cryptopotato.com/leaked-call-private-wallets-200k-plan-inside-the-axiom-insider-trading-allegations/"},{"date":"2025-08-01","event":"Alleged incident: Registration details and linked wallet addresses for a trader known as 'Monix' allegedly shared; internal lookups on AURA meme coin traders discussed.","source":"CryptoBriefing / crypto.news","source_url":"https://crypto.news/zachxbt-axiom-employees-insider-trading-report-2026/"},{"date":"2026-02-01","event":"Recorded call allegedly captures Broox Bauer describing internal lookup capabilities to moderator 'Gowno' and outlining a plan for the associate to earn $200,000 via privileged access.","source":"DL News / CoinDesk","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"date":"2026-02-23","event":"Polymarket prediction market launches — 'Which crypto company will ZachXBT expose for insider trading?' — drawing over $39.7 million in cumulative trading volume before settlement.","source":"CoinDesk","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"},{"date":"2026-02-26","event":"ZachXBT publishes investigation naming Axiom Exchange and Broox Bauer, alleging ten months of unauthorized internal data access used to front-run user trades.","source":"CoinDesk","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/26/zachxbt-alleges-axiom-employee-conducted-insider-trading"},{"date":"2026-02-26","event":"Axiom issues public statement expressing shock and disappointment, removes affected internal tool access, and pledges ongoing investigation.","source":"The Block / DL News","source_url":"https://www.theblock.co/post/391423/zachxbt-investigation-into-alleged-employee-insider-trading"},{"date":"2026-02-27","event":"On-chain analysts (Lookonchain, Polysights) identify 12 wallets that allegedly profited over $1 million on Polymarket before ZachXBT's reveal, with on-chain researchers alleging some wallet addresses are connected to Broox Bauer.","source":"CoinDesk / Cryptopolitan","source_url":"https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/02/27/polymarket-bettors-appear-to-have-insider-traded-on-a-market-designed-to-catch-insider-traders"}]},"v":1}

   Verify offline (run on your own machine)

   python -m src.verify_decision d2197446-0989-47a4-a20d-f7dc3eca6d4bcopy