Imitation DJ Marshmello unveils counterfeit cryptocurrency at Web Summit amidst activists’ advocacy
At the Web Summit in Lisbon, an unexpected turn of events occurred during the advertisement of Adidas’ new Adicoin coin. A counterfeit DJ made an appearance, causing confusion and raising eyebrows.
Adicoin, a cryptocurrency designed to assist workers in Adidas factories, was unveiled during a presentation featuring DJ Marshmello at the Web Summit in Lisbon. According to Lena Bozhkova, an editor at crypto.news who was present at the conference, the employees would be equipped with a chip that tracked their movements and work progress, allowing them to mine Adicoins. These coins could only be utilized within the virtual realm of Adiverse, offering workers a taste of the good life online.
However, it was soon discovered that Adidas had never announced the launch of this token, nor did it even exist. The entire concept was a fabrication.
The fake DJ Marshmello added another layer of deception. An actor was hired to impersonate the influential DJ, leading the audience to believe that the cryptocurrency was associated with him. To further maintain anonymity, the imposter never revealed his face. Yet, the real Marshmello later clarified that he had no involvement in the scam.
In the aftermath of the incident, the activist organization known as The Yes Men issued an apology. However, they emphasized that the purpose of their stunt was to draw attention to the plight of the underprivileged workers in the factory.
This year’s Web Summit was not without controversy. The director general resigned due to his comments regarding the Israel-Hamas war. Paddy Cosgrave, the Irish founder of the Web Summit, faced criticism for his social media post regarding Israel’s retaliatory strike on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7.
In the midst of these events, Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange, issued a warning against the use of crypto by Hamas.
