A green conscience sells well – especially in the crypto world, where sustainability is often more wishful thinking than reality. But what happens when an exchange publicly promotes a good deed that never took place? The answer: Things get uncomfortable – really uncomfortable.
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At the center of the storm: OKX TR, the Turkish branch of the global crypto exchange OKX. On its social media channels, the company has been boasting since July 4, 2025 with a post that at first glance looks like a shining example of climate protection. The post: “We are donating 10,000 trees through the TEMA Foundation. OKX TR Hatıra Ormanı – we are giving life back to nature.” The reality? According to the TEMA Foundation, there is neither a donation nor cooperation. No tree, no contact, no agreement. And: no more patience.
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On Monday (August 5), the renowned Turkish Foundation for Combating Erosion and Reforestation (TEMA for short) published a clear message on “X” – with emphasis and a touch of legal sharpness. The message: “Our name was used without our knowledge or consent. There was never a donation transaction with OKX TR. Despite repeated requests, the post is still online. If it is not removed within three working days, we reserve the right to take legal action.”
An unusually sharp tone for an organization that otherwise fights with a shovel, not a lawyer. But the concerns are understandable: Anyone who advertises with the good name of TEMA without even digging up the earth once undermines trust – not only in the foundation, but also in charitable collaborations in general. It becomes even more curious when you consider that OKX TR continues to collect likes on the relevant post as if nothing had happened. The digital memorial forest lives on – at least in the imagination of the social media department.
Environmental Foundation TEMA Threatens Legal Action
For TEMA, this is a serious deception of the public, which contradicts its own transparency and credibility. In an industry where the word “Fake” is already used too often – Fake Tokens, Fake Volumes, Fake Promises – a PR stunt like this not only damages its own image, but also an entire movement. Sustainability, as this case shows, is not just a green label for digital products.
Why is OKX TR still sticking to the post? Silence in the forest. The company has not yet responded to inquiries. It therefore remains open whether this is simply an internal communication error – or whether the green marketing was deliberately staged. Both would be problematic.
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In any case, TEMA now wants to create clarity – if necessary in court. If the post does not disappear, the foundation will take legal action against OKX TR. A legal precedent that could make waves far beyond the crypto community. Because what is being negotiated here is more than a dispute over a few trees. It’s about credibility – digital and analog. And perhaps also about a simple realization: Anyone who advertises with the goodwill of others should have really sown beforehand. (mck)