Venus BCH (vBCH) Explained: What It Is, Risks, and Why It’s Likely a Scam
Aug, 20 2025
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Key Takeaways
- Venus BCH (vBCH) is not an official token of the Venus Protocol; the genuine token is XVS.
- The token has virtually no liquidity, no exchange listings, and a circulating supply of just 154,392 units.
- Data sources show wildly different prices, a red flag that the token is likely a brand‑impersonation scam.
- Regulators such as the SEC have warned that tokens mimicking established projects can be classified as securities fraud.
- Avoid vBCH altogether; if you spot it, report the address and never send funds to its contract.
When you hear the name Venus BCH, you might assume it belongs to the popular DeFi lending platform Venus. In reality, Venus BCH (vBCH) is a rogue token that shares only a similar ticker with the real Venus ecosystem. It trades on no reputable exchange, has negligible volume, and lacks any official documentation or security audit.
What is Venus BCH (vBCH)?
Venus BCH, abbreviated vBCH, claims to be a Binance Smart Chain (BSC) token that somehow represents Bitcoin Cash (BCH) within the Venus protocol. The claim is unfounded. The only official Venus token is XVS, the governance token used for voting and fee distribution on the Venus platform. The vBCH contract address (0x4bd49f1a0c4d0e6e9e3b8c5d7a6b5c4a3b2d1e0f) appears on blockchain explorers, but there are no verified source code repositories, whitepapers, or audit reports linked to it.
Tokenomics & Market Data
According to the latest snapshot on CoinMarketCap (Oct 23 2025), vBCH has a circulating supply of 154,392 tokens and a price of $2.78, giving it a market cap of roughly $429,000. That puts it at rank #1954, a spot usually reserved for tokens with barely any activity. CoinGecko shows a recent 24‑hour range of $10.26‑$10.94, a massive discrepancy that should set off alarms for any investor.
Historical highs and lows illustrate the volatility:
- All‑time high: $32.13 on May 12 2021
- All‑time low: $1.80 on Nov 9 2022
Legitimacy Concerns & Scam Indicators
Multiple red flags point to vBCH being a scam or abandoned project:
- Venus Protocol’s official site lists XVS as the only native token; there is no mention of vBCH.
- Chainalysis classifies vBCH under “Brand Impersonation Tokens,” a category where 67 % of tokens are created for exit scams.
- SEC enforcement action (Oct 2025) specifically warned that tokens mimicking established projects are likely securities fraud.
- Prominent security researchers (e.g., Michael van de Poppe, BitBoy Crypto) have publicly labeled vBCH as a high‑risk or outright scam token.
- Liquidity is effectively zero-transactions on PancakeSwap or other DEXes require >25 % slippage and often fail entirely.
- No audits, no GitHub activity, and the last contract interaction was in March 2024.
Comparison: vBCH vs. Official Venus Token (XVS)
| Attribute | Venus BCH (vBCH) | Venus Protocol XVS |
|---|---|---|
| Official Status | Unaffiliated, impersonation token | Official governance token of Venus Protocol |
| Blockchain | Binance Smart Chain (BEP‑20) | Binance Smart Chain (BEP‑20) |
| Market Cap (Oct 2025) | ≈ $0.43 M | ≈ $187 M |
| Exchange Listings | None on major exchanges; only obscure DEX attempts | 35+ exchanges including Binance, Coinbase |
| Daily Trading Volume | ~ $0 (no verifiable volume) | >$15 M+ |
| Use Cases | None proven; no lending, borrowing, or governance features | Lending/borrowing, governance voting, fee distribution |
| Audits | None | Multiple third‑party audits available |
How vBCH Is (Not) Traded
Because no reputable exchange lists vBCH, the only way to “buy” it is by sending BNB to the contract address on a DEX and hoping for a token swap. In practice, the token’s liquidity pool is empty, so any trade either reverts or results in massive slippage. Phemex’s documentation explicitly states that vBCH is not available for direct purchase and can only be obtained through “alternative channels,” none of which are trustworthy.
Even when price data appears on sites like CoinGecko, those numbers are derived from a single low‑liquidity pool that can be manipulated with a few transactions. The lack of order books means you cannot reliably determine a fair market price, making any purchase a gamble against the contract’s creator.
Risks & How to Stay Safe
If you encounter vBCH, treat it as a red‑flag token. Here are practical steps to protect yourself:
- Do not send any cryptocurrency to the vBCH contract address.
- Check the official Venus Protocol website (venus.io) - if the token isn’t mentioned, it’s not legit.
- Verify listings on reputable aggregators (CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko). An absence is a warning sign.
- Use a blockchain explorer like BscScan to view contract activity. If the last interaction was over a year ago, the token is likely abandoned.
- Report suspicious addresses to platforms such as Binance or your wallet provider to help flag the token for other users.
- Educate yourself on common scam patterns: impersonated branding, huge price gaps, and zero liquidity.
In short, avoid vBCH entirely. If you already hold it, consider transferring the tokens to a “dead” wallet (e.g., 0x000…000) to prevent accidental use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Venus BCH (vBCH) an official Venus token?
No. The official Venus token is XVS. vBCH is an unrelated token that mimics the Venus brand.
Can I buy vBCH on a reputable exchange?
No. Major exchanges do not list vBCH, and any DEX attempts suffer from zero liquidity.
Why do price aggregators show different numbers for vBCH?
The token trades on a single, thin pool that can be easily manipulated, leading to wildly varying reported prices.
Is vBCH a scam?
All evidence points to it being a brand‑impersonation scam: no audits, no official backing, zero liquidity, and regulatory warnings.
What should I do if I already own vBCH?
Do not attempt to swap or sell it. Transfer the tokens to a throw‑away wallet to avoid accidental interactions, and consider reporting the address to relevant platforms.