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Overview

Wash trading is a form of market manipulation where an entity simultaneously buys and sells the same asset to create artificial trading volume. This deceptive practice makes tokens appear more liquid and actively traded than they actually are.
Wash trading is illegal in regulated markets and a major red flag in crypto. Projects engaging in wash trading often collapse once the artificial volume stops.

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How It Works

  1. Setup: Trader controls multiple wallets
  2. Execution: Buys token from one wallet, sells from another
  3. Appearance: Creates fake volume and price movements
  4. Deception: Attracts legitimate traders who see “activity”

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Detection Indicators

The Webacy API identifies wash trading through pattern analysis:
TagSeverityDescription
wash_tradingHighAddress has engaged in wash trading patterns
automated_tradingMediumBot-like trading behavior detected

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Common Patterns

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Volume Inflation

  • Sudden spikes in volume with no corresponding news
  • Volume/market cap ratios far above industry norms
  • Trading activity concentrated among few wallets

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Price Manipulation

  • Prices held artificially stable despite low real liquidity
  • Coordinated buy/sell walls
  • Circular transaction patterns

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Why It Matters

  • Fake liquidity: Real traders may not be able to exit positions
  • Price discovery failure: True market value is obscured
  • Pump and dump setup: Often precedes major sell-offs
  • Regulatory risk: Increasingly targeted by enforcement

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API Example

curl -X GET "https://api.webacy.com/addresses/0x123...?chain=eth" \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY"
Response indicating wash trading: 
{
  "overallRisk": 78.5,
  "issues": [
    {
      "tag": "wash_trading",
      "severity": "high",
      "description": "Address has engaged in wash trading"
    }
  ]
}

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Protection Strategies

  1. Check holder analysis - Use the Holder Analysis endpoint to identify concentration
  2. Verify volume sources - Cross-reference volume across multiple DEXs
  3. Look for organic growth - Legitimate projects show gradual, sustainable growth
  4. Monitor transaction patterns - Circular transactions are a red flag