Masa
Last changed 2026-10-10 · Score recalculated — Rescored under Scoring v2, the published formula (avoid.net/scoring): 12 → 53. Problems weighed by who is responsible: concerns that are not fraud −12.8, the subject's own conduct −8, problems around the subject, caused by others −1.6; legitimacy credit long-running +10. Version history →
Why this score
| Every page starts at | 65 |
| The subject's own conduct | -8 |
| Concerns that are not fraud | -12.8 |
| Problems around it, caused by others | -1.6 |
| Long-running | +10 |
| Sum | 53 |
Score: 53/100 (kept between 0 and 100)
How scoring works →Summary
Masa (also known as Masa Finance, later rebranded as Gopher) is a Web3 data and identity protocol that launched a soulbound token standard on Ethereum in 2023 before pivoting to a decentralized AI data network. The MASA token, sold via CoinList in March 2024 at $0.079 and hitting an all-time high of approximately $0.4697 on its April 11, 2024 listing date, subsequently collapsed by over 99.9% to trade near $0.00002 by mid-2026. ZachXBT publicly accused the project of concealing a six-figure security exploit in September 2024, which the team later confirmed only after the allegation was made public.
Connected Entities
9 entities · 60 linked investigations- KuCoin→mentioned with→ZachXBT(70%)
- KuCoin→mentioned with→Ethereum(60%)
- ZachXBT→mentioned with→Ethereum(70%)
- ZachXBT→mentioned with→Binance(60%)
- Binance→mentioned with→Ethereum(65%)
- Cosmos (ATOM)→mentioned with→Binance(60%)
- Masa→mentioned with→Binance(60%)
- Bittensor→mentioned with→ZachXBT(70%)
- Masa→mentioned with→ZachXBT(70%)
- Bittensor→mentioned with→Ethereum(60%)
- + 9 more
Connected Through
8 shared actors · 610 investigationsDistinct actors this investigation shares with others — holders, traders, and named parties. Shared infrastructure (exchanges, pools) is excluded.
- □Ethereumorganization
- □ZachXBTorganization
- □Binanceorganization
- □Baseorganization
Timeline(15 events)
2021
Masa Finance founded by Brendan Playford; initial focus on decentralized credit and identity protocol
4 May 2022
Masa Finance raises $3.5M pre-seed round to build decentralized credit protocol, reported by TechCrunch
17 January 2023
Masa launches mainnet of first soulbound identity protocol on Ethereum; introduces .soul names and web3 credit score SBTs
7 March 2024
MASA token public sale on CoinList at $0.079; raises $8.75M in 17 minutes, six times oversubscribed
28 March 2024
Masa announces LayerZero integration for cross-chain MASA token transfers via OFT standard
11 April 2024
MASA token TGE and mainnet launch; token reaches all-time high of approximately $0.4697; listed on Bybit, KuCoin, Gate, HTX, and PancakeSwap
20 September 2024
First security exploit occurs on MASA token contract on Base blockchain; six-figure losses incurred; incident not publicly disclosed by Masa team
17 October 2024
Second security exploit occurs on MASA Base blockchain contract; ZachXBT publicly confronts Masa team, alleging the September exploit was concealed and framed as an 'upgrade'
18 October 2024
Masa team acknowledges both security incidents on September 20 and October 17; claims no material business impact and promises token credits to affected users
December 2024
Masa launches Bittensor Subnet 59 (AI Agent Arena); secures additional strategic funding from DCG
Decision Log
- slot 455368974 · hash Fnti3MVbFsRDLmMEnDqqAzJ8fYEuQ4K6oeQ5AruDeSm8
- slot 420649392 · hash 8mY14fA5F4MJW2FSm3VVRSZq21z2ZCmex2K79CB6KEYC
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain (2 decisions).
model: claude-sonnet
generated: 5/4/2026, 4:04:57 PM
last updated: 10/10/2026, 6:48:59 PM
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