OpenClaw AI Framework Enforces Zero-Tolerance Policy on Cryptocurrency Mentions in Discord Community

OpenClaw AI Framework Enforces Zero-Tolerance Policy on Cryptocurrency Mentions in Discord Community

Peter Steinberger, the developer of OpenClaw, has verified that Discord participants face removal when discussing Bitcoin or cryptocurrency topics.

Peter Steinberger, the creator of the rapidly expanding open-source artificial intelligence agent framework known as OpenClaw, has validated that bringing up Bitcoin or any other digital currencies within its Discord community results in potential expulsion.

Through a post shared on X during Saturday, one community member disclosed being banned from the OpenClaw Discord channel merely for citing Bitcoin block height as a method for timing coordination within a multi-agent performance test.

Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, acknowledged the enforcement action in his reply, noting that participants had agreed to "strict server rules" when they initially joined the platform and emphasized that the group enforces a "no crypto mention whatsoever" standard.

OpenClaw confirms ban on crypto
OpenClaw confirms ban on crypto. Source: Steinberger

Following the exchange, Steinberger indicated willingness to reinstate the individual, requesting that they send their username via email to enable him to grant restored access to the community server.

OpenClaw's crypto problem began with a fake token

The fraudulent token experienced a rapid climb to approximately $16 million in total market capitalization during the initial hours before experiencing a catastrophic decline exceeding 90% following Steinberger's public statement denying any connection. Initial purchasers directed accusations toward the developer.

At that time, Steinberger issued a response cautioning community members that he would never create a cryptocurrency and that any digital token claiming affiliation with him represented a scam. Cybersecurity experts subsequently discovered hundreds of vulnerable OpenClaw deployments accessible online alongside dozens of harmful plug-ins, with many specifically engineered to exploit cryptocurrency traders.

Since its debut in late January, OpenClaw has experienced remarkable growth, accumulating over 200,000 GitHub stars in just a matter of weeks and drawing substantial interest from developers focused on autonomous agent technology.

Crypto firms bullish on AI agents

Business executives across the sector increasingly view cryptocurrency as the primary payment infrastructure for artificial intelligence applications. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire made a forecast predicting that billions of autonomous agents will utilize stablecoins for everyday transactions in the coming years

At the beginning of this month, Coinbase introduced "Agentic Wallets" infrastructure designed to enable AI agents to maintain wallet custody and independently spend, generate income and execute cryptocurrency trades on blockchain networks. Constructed on top of its AgentKit developer framework and operating through the x402 payments protocol, this technological system allows software agents to dynamically oversee DeFi positions, adjust portfolios, compensate for computational and data services, and engage in digital marketplace activities.