Jagex Bans Crypto and Meme Coin Schemes Tied to OSRS Item Prices

Jagex says it’s taking a zero-tolerance stance against cryptocurrency and meme coin projects that track, trade against, or otherwise tie themselves to item prices in Old School RuneScape and its other games.

The studio says these schemes effectively turn in-game markets into real-money betting systems, where players can profit from pushing an item’s price up or down. Jagex considers that a form of real-world trading, and says it can also be used to launder gold that has already been bought or sold for real money.

Under the new warning, players are not allowed to use crypto or meme coins to trade against, bet on, or profit from in-game item prices. That includes taking positions based on whether an item’s price will rise or fall, then trying to manipulate the market for real-world gain.

Jagex says accounts involved in this kind of market manipulation will face action. The company also notes that it will decide at its own discretion whether activity counts as malicious market manipulation, and that even actions with unintended effects on the economy may lead to penalties depending on suspected intent.

It’s a fairly direct line in the sand from Jagex, especially for Old School RuneScape, where item values and player-driven trading are a huge part of the game. The message is simple enough: if real money is being tied to the price of in-game items, Jagex doesn’t want it in the economy.

Further reading: Official Old School RuneScape news