OpenClaw Bans Crypto Talk on Discord Amid OpenAI Move

Peter Steinberger, the creator of the open-source AI agent framework OpenClaw, has drawn a hard line: any mention of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency is now forbidden on the project’s primary Discord server. The policy is a direct response to what Steinberger describes as a relentless onslaught from elements within the crypto space. “Every half hour, someone came into Discord and spammed it, and we had to block people,” Steinberger explained in a recent interview, noting that the disruptive activity became so severe he “could barely see people talking about the project because it was like swarms.” This spam was accompanied by personal harassment and threats, which Steinberger publicly addressed on social media platform X, pleading, “To all crypto folks… Please stop pinging me, stop harassing me.”

The core of the issue, according to Steinberger, is the attempt by bad actors to profit from OpenClaw’s surging popularity. He has repeatedly and unequivocally stated that he “will never do a coin” and that “any project that lists me as coin owner is a SCAM.” The Discord ban, which extends even to neutral references to Bitcoin, is therefore framed as a necessary defensive measure to preserve the community’s focus on AI development and to protect it from fraudulent association. User reports confirm that violations lead to immediate moderation, underscoring the strict enforcement of this new rule.

The implementation of the crypto ban coincides with a major professional transition for Steinberger. Last week, he announced he had joined OpenAI, the industry leader behind ChatGPT. Concurrently, he revealed plans to transition OpenClaw to a foundation structure. In a blog post, Steinberger framed this move as a strategic acceleration, writing, “What I want is to change the world, not build a large company, and teaming up with OpenAI is the fastest way to bring this to everyone.” This pivot suggests a desire to insulate the open-source project’s development from the commercial pressures and speculative frenzies that often accompany viral tech trends, particularly those intersecting with cryptocurrency.

However, this new direction has not gone unquestioned. Some observers on X have pointed out a potential contradiction between Steinberger’s absolute disavowal of crypto and the activities of his new employer’s CEO, Sam Altman. Altman is a co-founder of Worldcoin (ticker: WLD), a digital identity network that issues a crypto token to users who verify their identity via iris scan. While there is no indication that OpenAI or Altman influenced the Discord policy, the juxtaposition highlights the complex and often conflicted relationship between mainstream AI institutions and the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

The ban has sparked significant debate within the tech community. While many support Steinberger’s right to curb harassment, critics argue the policy is overly broad and ignores a fundamental technological synergy. Proponents of cryptocurrency posit that digital assets like Bitcoin are a natural fit for autonomous AI agents, which would need a native, programmable medium for value transfer. “What are all these AI agents going to make payments with?” one X user challenged, adding, “You building open-sourced decentralized networks on Visa rails?” This perspective views crypto not as a speculative distraction but as essential infrastructure for the very autonomous agents OpenClaw aims to help build.

Despite this criticism, Steinberger’s position remains firm. His public comments consistently draw a clear boundary: “I’m not interested in that, and this is a space about the project, not finance stuff.” The episode serves as a case study in the challenges facing open-source developers when their work captures the public imagination. The intense interest from crypto communities, driven by the pursuit of the next viral token, can quickly morph from enthusiasm into destructive spam and reputational risk, forcing creators to adopt defensive postures that may alienate potential allies in the process.