GTA 6 Leaks Are Fueling a Crypto Pump-and-Dump Scheme
Leaked Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay videos are carrying watermarks for a Solana-based meme coin called CYBERLEEK, turning one of the gaming world's most anticipated releases into the engine of a cryptocurrency scheme that has already cost some buyers nearly $10,000 each.
The coin, named after the supposed leaker of the GTA 6 footage, first appeared on August 16 — two days before the first gameplay leak surfaced, according to GameSpot. That timing is the tell. The coin existed before the content it supposedly celebrates, which is a hallmark of a pump-and-dump: create the asset, generate hype, then cash out as buyers rush in.
Within a single day, the CYBERLEEK coin's price surged by more than 5,000%. One leaked gameplay video carried the watermark "HIGHER MARKET CAP = MORE LEEKS," directly tying the release of stolen footage to demand for the coin, according to IGN. At least six apparent GTA 6 gameplay videos had leaked online as of IGN's reporting.
The scheme is described as a textbook pump-and-dump that remains active, with the coin's price swinging with each new gameplay drop. According to CoinMarketCap tracking cited by GameSpot, the largest single buyer profit exceeded $22,000 — a 2,000% return on investment. Meanwhile, several CYBERLEEK buyers have lost close to $10,000 each. A handful of accounts holding the large majority of the coin's supply have not sold at all, which is consistent with operators waiting to cash out at a peak.
CoinMarketCap lists the CYBERLEEK token as unverified, noting that its logo and social links come from third-party sources. The token runs on the Solana blockchain and trades as a CYBERLEEK/wSOL pair on the Raydium and Meteora exchanges. CoinMarketCap's dex tracking page showed a price of $0.001475, a 24-hour trading volume of $2 million, and liquidity of $421,000, with approximately 10,610 holders. A security scan returned a "Normal" rating.
The leaker, who goes by CyberLeek, may have access to a playable build of GTA 6, GameSpot reported in June. In one earlier alleged gameplay video, the character Jason Duval shoots at a wall, and the bullet marks spell out text — an in-game message board for whatever the leaker wanted to say.
Rockstar has issued takedowns in response to the leaks, GameSpot reported on August 18. PCMag framed the situation as "Vigilante or Crypto Scammer?" in its own coverage published August 19, noting that the leaked footage is watermarked with language encouraging viewers to buy the group's meme coin.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to launch on November 12. Its first official gameplay showcase is set to debut on Netflix on August 27, giving publisher Rockstar and parent company Take-Two a chance to reclaim the narrative with controlled footage — rather than watermarked clips designed to sell a coin.
For fans, the leaks offer an unsanctioned glimpse at a game still months from release. For anyone tempted by CYBERLEEK, the sequence is the story: the coin came first, the leaks followed, and the people who made both happen are still holding the bag everyone else is buying from.
