The intersection of social media and sports gaming has created a new breed of market manipulation that’s catching players off guard. In FC 26, a troubling trend has emerged on TikTok where influencers orchestrate pump and dump schemes around player cards in Ultimate Team mode, exploiting the game’s volatile transfer market.
A TikTok creator with a substantial following identifies a low cost player card in FC 26’s Ultimate Team market often a little known gold card trading for just a few thousand coins. They quietly purchase dozens or even hundreds of these cards at their baseline price.
Then comes the pump, the creator posts a TikTok video claiming this player is essential for an upcoming Squad Building Challenge (SBC), suggests EA will soon upgrade the card, or they talk about an upcoming evolution for which the player will become meta. They create fake images of the evo showing unreal and crazy boosts for the player and within hours, thousands of viewers rush to buy the card, artificially inflating its price with recent players such as Gabri Veiga, Rayan Cherki and Joao Felix being targeted.
The latest and arguably biggest victim of the recent Tiktok Evolution pump and dumps
— Waldy – EAFC Trader (@sub2waldy) October 1, 2025
300 -> 6500 coins today from one guy making loads of videos about a fake evo 💀
Obviously fake ❌ Says we are getting an evo for Spanish CAMs under 76 rated and under 60 defending 😂 pic.twitter.com/mUNlewpWcm
Once the price peaks, the influencer quietly dumps their inventory at the inflated rate, pocketing massive profits while their followers are left holding overpriced cards that plummet back to their original value once the hype dies. Here is a big example of this situation.
🚨A new Tiktok Pump and Dump spotted! #FC26
— Weaver – FUT (@WeaverFUT) October 4, 2025
Alderete is up around 4k today 🤯 pic.twitter.com/SYdOeiOw26
Omar Alderete of Sunderland was selling for 4400 coins. Yes a Paraguayan CB from Sunderland with 60 pace is selling for that much, you can see the effect of the hype. Now here is his current price after everyone found out the leak on Tiktok was fake.
Tiktokers push for the leak on 4th October and his price rises to 5500, then you can see the dip to 2350 in just 2 hours when the dump happens. The price recovers with others purchasing the card and then gradually falls to now just 475, a 92% price difference from the cards peak price. People who bought the card for around 4000 coins now suffer a loss of 3500 coins when selling.
This phenomenon mirrors pump and dump schemes in cryptocurrency and penny stock markets, but operates in a largely unregulated virtual economy. Unlike securities fraud, which can result in legal consequences, manipulating a video game market exists in a gray area where EA’s terms of service may be the only deterrent.
Be skeptical of investment advice from TikTok creators, especially those who don’t show their own purchase history. Research independently using community databases like FUTBIN or FUTWIZ before making major purchases. If everyone is talking about a card, you’re probably already too late. Watch trading volumes, sudden spikes in a previously dormant card’s activity often signal manipulation.
These schemes don’t just harm individual players they undermine trust in the Ultimate Team economy and the broader FC community. New players who fall victim to pumps often become discouraged and may leave the game entirely, while the practice normalizes market manipulation for younger audiences who may not understand they’re participating in a coordinated scheme.
As FC 26 continues to grow its player base and TikTok remains a primary platform for gaming content, this issue demands attention from both EA Sports and the content creator community. Until meaningful accountability mechanisms emerge, players must remain vigilant and approach social media investment tips with healthy skepticism.
