"THIS IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE" IS NOT A FREE PASS

Demand Crypto Consumer Protection & Influencer Accountability

Why This Petition Matters

The cryptocurrency industry is transforming the future of finance. Millions of consumers are placing their trust in digital asset exchanges, hardware wallets, security platforms, and social media influencers.

But what happens when that trust is broken?

When consumers lose their digital assets through suspected security incidents, unauthorized transactions, or potentially misleading product claims, they may be left without meaningful answers, transparency, or a clear path toward recovery.

This must change.

For decades, traditional advertisers have been subject to consumer-protection laws. Today, cryptocurrency influencers can reach hundreds of thousands or millions of people through YouTube, X, TikTok, and other digital platforms.

Many receive sponsorship payments, affiliate commissions, referral fees, or other financial benefits for promoting products.

Yet one phrase is frequently repeated:

"This is not financial advice."

Those five words should never excuse deceptive advertising, undisclosed financial relationships, or misleading claims about the security of consumers' assets.

A paid endorsement on social media is still advertising.

Different Platform. Same Consumer. Same Responsibility.

The D'CENT Wallet Incident: Why We Must Act

Beginning in September 2026, D'CENT Wallet users reported unauthorized cryptocurrency transfers and significant financial losses.

Affected individuals across multiple countries have shared transaction records, described their experiences, and sought explanations and accountability.

The full scope and technical cause of these reported incidents have not been independently established.

However, these experiences highlight broader questions about digital asset security, corporate transparency, consumer protections, and the responsibilities of those who promote financial security products.

No consumer should be left without reasonable access to information, complaint procedures, and appropriate remedies when serious security concerns arise.

This petition is not about attacking one company or one influencer.

It is about protecting the next consumer before another potentially devastating loss occurs.

Our Six Demands

We call upon the United States Congress, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and other appropriate regulatory authorities to take the following actions:

1. Accountability for Paid Cryptocurrency Influencers

Strengthen enforcement of disclosure requirements for sponsorships, affiliate commissions, referral compensation, and other material financial relationships.

Consumers deserve to know when an endorsement is financially motivated.

2. Truthful and Verifiable Security Claims

Require cryptocurrency businesses and paid promoters to adequately substantiate factual claims about wallet security, asset protection, custody arrangements, and product reliability.

Unsupported promises of absolute security should not be used to influence purchasing decisions.

3. Financial Accountability for Deceptive Advertising

Ensure that appropriate civil penalties and consumer remedies are available when paid promoters engage in unlawful deceptive practices.

Where materially misleading claims cause demonstrable consumer harm, applicable legal standards should provide meaningful avenues for accountability.

A disclaimer stating "This is not financial advice" must never override existing advertising and consumer-protection laws.

4. Consumer Warnings and Corrections

Establish clearer standards for promptly correcting materially misleading promotional security claims when credible contrary evidence becomes available.

Consumers should not continue relying on inaccurate assurances about products used to protect financial assets.

5. Corporate Transparency and Security-Incident Response

Develop appropriate standards requiring relevant cryptocurrency service providers and hardware wallet manufacturers to communicate significant confirmed security incidents, provide timely updates, preserve relevant evidence, and establish clear channels for affected consumers.

These standards should reflect the different responsibilities of self-custody wallet manufacturers, exchanges, and custodial service providers.

6. Stronger Consumer Remedies and Regulatory Oversight

Improve access to consumer complaint procedures, independent security review where appropriate, enforcement against unlawful conduct, and available remedies when legal violations are established.

Digital asset consumers deserve a meaningful opportunity to seek accountability.

Our Message to Congress and Regulators

We are not asking influencers to guarantee investment returns.

We are not asking them to become automatically responsible for every product failure.

We are asking for consistent enforcement of advertising laws and consideration of stronger protections when individuals and businesses profit from promoting products designed to safeguard consumers' financial assets.

The digital economy should not operate under weaker standards of honesty and transparency simply because advertising has moved from television screens to smartphones.

The Time to Act Is Now

This is bigger than D'CENT Wallet.

This is bigger than any single exchange, hardware wallet manufacturer, or influencer.

This is about the future of consumer trust in digital finance.

We believe in cryptocurrency innovation. But innovation and accountability must advance together.

We urge lawmakers, regulators, responsible influencers, consumer advocates, and digital asset holders to support meaningful protections.

Sign this petition to demand stronger crypto consumer protections, truthful advertising, greater transparency, and accountability throughout the digital asset industry.

Different Platform. Same Consumer. Same Responsibility!!