Crypto News Today: OpenClaw Discord Bans Asset Talk After Solana Token Scam Hit

OpenClaw now blocks any mention of Bitcoin or crypto on its Discord server after a scam token incident disrupted the project days after launch. Peter Steinberger, the Austrian developer behind the open-source AI agent framework, confirmed the blanket ban. The rule follows a rebranding episode that allowed scammers to hijack the project’s old handles and promote a fake Solana token that briefly reached a $16 million market cap before collapsing.

OpenClaw has gained more than 200,000 GitHub stars since late January. Despite rapid growth, Steinberger enforced strict server rules that prohibit any crypto reference. He stated that users accepted the no-crypto condition upon entry.

One user referenced Bitcoin while discussing block height as a timing tool for a multi-agent benchmark. Moderators removed the user immediately. Steinberger reiterated that no crypto mention qualifies as a firm rule, not a discretionary guideline.

Rebrand Chaos and the $CLAWD Token

The conflict began when Anthropic sent Steinberger a trademark notice over the original project name, Clawdbot. Anthropic argued that the name resembled its “Claude” brand. Steinberger agreed to rebrand.

During the transition, he released his old GitHub and X handles. In seconds, scammers captured both accounts. They launched a fake token named $CLAWD on Solana using the hijacked profiles.

The token surged to a $16 million market cap within hours. Peter Steinberger denied any link to the token publicly. Soon after, the token lost more than 90% of its value. Early buyers secured profits, while later traders suffered losses. Steinberger faced harassment from traders who accused him of failing to endorse the token.

He responded on X with a direct warning. He stated that he would never create a coin. He labeled any project listing him as a coin owner a scam. He urged crypto users to stop contacting him and warned that such actions damaged the project.  

Security Risks and Malicious Add-Ons

Meanwhile, security concerns surfaced around OpenClaw deployments. Researchers at SlowMist and independent auditors found hundreds of OpenClaw instances exposed online without authentication. The issue stemmed from the tool’s localhost trust model, which fails when developers run it behind a reverse proxy.

Separately, a researcher identified 386 malicious “skills” in the OpenClaw skill repository. These add-on scripts targeted crypto traders in many cases. The findings added further strain to a project already facing reputational pressure.

Amid these events, Steinberger joined OpenAI to lead its personal agents division. OpenClaw shifted to an independent open-source foundation. The framework continues to grow despite the earlier turmoil.

Also Read: Solana Drops 40% in 30 Days: Can SOL Recover by 2027?

Crypto’s Expanding Role in AI Payments

At the same time, major industry figures view crypto as a payment rail for AI agents. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire predicted that billions of agents could use stablecoins for routine payments within a few years.

Earlier this month, Coinbase launched Agentic Wallets infrastructure. The system allows AI agents to hold wallets and manage digital assets autonomously. Built on the AgentKit developer framework and powered by the x402 payments protocol, it enables agents to spend, earn, and trade on-chain.

The platform supports DeFi position management, portfolio rebalancing, and payments for compute or data services. It also allows agents to operate in digital marketplaces without manual oversight. Against that backdrop, OpenClaw’s total ban on crypto references stands out.

Can open-source AI projects fully insulate themselves from token speculation as crypto infrastructure increasingly integrates with autonomous agents?

The Bigger Picture 

OpenClaw keeps a strict crypto ban on its Discord after scammers hijacked its rebrand and pushed a fake Solana token. The fallout brought harassment, exposed deployments, and malicious skills. The takeaway is simple: lock down accounts, harden defaults, and vet add-ons before growth accelerates.