Key Highlights:
- Crypto influencer named “That Martini Guy” on X shares a post about BlackRock’s filing of Aster ETF.
- CZ reports that the new Aster ETF filing is fake.
- The community reacts to the episode and emphasises that it is the responsibility of the influencer to check the claims before sharing anything online.
Cryptocurrency market is something that moves quickly, and false information can spread as quickly as a wildfire. Today, December 9, 2025, images that showed BlackRock launching a ‘staked Aster ETF’ were seen circulating on social media platform X. Binance founder and former CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) stepped in and clarified that these claims were not true and urged people to not believe any unverified reports.
The Viral Rumour and Edited Filing Image
The debate began when a well-known crypto influencer “That Martini Guy,” tweeted that BlackRock had filed for a staked Aster ETF. The tweet included an image that showed official documents related to the filing. It quickly gained attention, as some of the crypto community members took the edited photo as proof of filing.
CZ’s Response; Fake and Photoshopped
CZ quickly stepped in on social media platform X, and responded to the false image and reports that were being spread about a supposedly “staked Aster ETF.” He made sure that his response was straight but sharp as with just a few words, he made it clear that the claims were completely untrue and the circulating images were altered.
The founder then also showed confidence in the project. He thinks that the project does not need any hype to gain attention. This confidence can be attributed to the progress that has been made by the project so far, the community that has been built and the technology that is strong enough to support its own growth.
By calling out the rumour publicly, CZ reminded the entire crypto community of something that is very basic but also very important, just because something spreads fast on social media does not mean it is true. People usually assume that the post is real because it comes from someone popular in the space, even well-known influencers can get misled sometimes.
This is especially true in crypto, where news travels way too quickly and the markets react accordingly. A single tweet or screenshot can make people buy or sell without stopping to check whether the information is actually correct or not.
The Influencer Acknowledges His Mistake
After CZ debunked the rumour, “That Martini Guy” later clarified that the information was incorrect. However, he personally thinks that Aster ETF would have been a great positive development if it ever happened in the future and remains optimistic about the same.
Community Reaction
One of the crypto community users commented that such viral images and rumours spread mainly because people do not research them before sharing. The commenter also pointed out that influencers or well-known industry leaders that have a large audience and influence should always verify information before they share anything online.
The user also added BlackRock’s SEC filing page in the comment, from where the official filings can be checked directly.
Other user urged the influencer to double check his sources before posting, and stated that influencers have a responsibility to avoid spreading unverified claims as the crypto world should grow because of real updates and real news, not because of fake screenshots or rumours being shared online.
Also Read: Aster Completes S3 Buyback, Plans Burn, Airdrops & S4 Launch
