Crypto & Forex February 26, 2026 0 Comments

Inside Axiom’s Shadows: How One Staffer May Have Turned Insider Access Into a Multi-Million Dollar Trading Jackpot—And What It Means for Investors Now

Ever wondered what happens when the line between insider knowledge and outright exploitation gets blurry in the crypto world? Well, buckle up—Axiom Exchange, a Solana-based trading platform riding high on Y Combinator’s prestige, is now under the microscope for a jaw-dropping internal breach. Since early 2025, one of their own, Broox Bauer—a senior biz dev guy from New York—allegedly tapped into internal tools to peek at private user wallet data. Yep, you heard me right: accessing confidential NFTs, transactions, and trading activity like it was an open book. The kicker? This wasn’t just idle curiosity; the whispers suggest insider-style trading that could have raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars, all while skirting the spotlight. So, the question is: How does a platform boasting nearly $400 million in revenue and a star-studded accelerator pedigree let this wild west scenario unfold under their nose? And maybe more importantly, what does it say about the security culture in some of the hottest blockchain startups? The saga unfolds with recorded calls, detailed spreadsheets of crypto influencers, and a complex web of betrayal that’s making waves today. This isn’t just a cautionary tale—it’s a wake-up call. LEARN MORE

Axiom Exchange, a Solana-based trading platform backed by Y Combinator, is facing allegations that a staff member exploited internal tools to access private user wallet data and potentially facilitate insider-style trading since early 2025.

ZachXBT, an independent on-chain investigator, published findings today identifying Broox Bauer, a senior business development employee based in New York, as a central figure in the alleged scheme.

1/ Meet @WheresBroox (Broox Bauer), one of the multiple @AxiomExchange employees allegedly abusing the lack of access controls for internal tools to lookup sensitive user details to insider trade by tracking private wallet activity since early 2025. pic.twitter.com/KwICQMJL1q

— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) February 26, 2026

Recorded calls obtained during the investigation show Bauer describing his ability to look up any user through reference codes, wallet addresses, or unique identifiers.

The recordings also reveal discussions about gradually expanding surveillance from 10 to 20 wallets initially to avoid detection.

Evidence presented includes screenshots from April and August 2025 showing internal dashboard data for traders identified as “Jerry” and “Monix,” along with wallet lookups tied to holders of the meme coin AURA.

A separate February 2026 recording allegedly captures Bauer outlining plans to help a colleague generate $200,000 in profits by leveraging privileged platform access.

The investigation identified a spreadsheet compiling wallet addresses for multiple crypto influencers, with several targeted individuals independently verifying the accuracy of data attributed to them.

Founded in 2024 by Henry Zhang and Preston Ellis, the platform completed Y Combinator’s Winter 2025 cohort and generated more than $390M in cumulative revenue, ranking among the most profitable decentralized exchanges by late 2025.

The investigator noted that regardless of whether co-founders were aware, the platform lacked adequate monitoring or access restrictions to prevent such abuse.

Dashboard permissions for business development roles reportedly included complete wallet histories, tracked addresses, transaction records, and linked accounts.

This is a developing story. Please come back for further updates.