In brief
- OpenClaw’s Discord now bans any mention of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency.
- Steinberger says token promoters and scams drove the crackdown.
- The policy comes as he begins working at OpenAI.
After his app went viral earlier last month, Peter Steinberger—the creator of the buzzy AI agent framework OpenClaw—confirmed the ban of any mention of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency from the project’s Discord server.
Steinberger reiterated the ban after a user on X said Saturday that they were blocked from the OpenClaw Discord server.
“We have strict server rules that you accepted [when] you entered the server,” Steinberger wrote. “No crypto mention whatsoever is one of them.”
Other users on X said even neutral references to Bitcoin led to moderation. The decision follows statements in which Steinberger said scammers tried to profit from the popularity of OpenClaw, and that he received harassment and threats tied to cryptocurrency activity.
“To all crypto folks,” he wrote on X in January. “Please stop pinging me, stop harassing me. I will never do a coin. Any project that lists me as coin owner is a SCAM.”
OpenClaw—originally called Clawdbot—gained attention as an open-source framework for building AI agents, software designed to perform tasks for users autonomously. As interest in OpenClaw grew, so did the harassment Steinberger said he faced from some in the crypto space who sought to profit from a purported connection to the project. In a recent interview on the Lex Fridman podcast, he said he underestimated that community.
“On this project, they’ve been swarming me,” he said. “Every half hour, someone came into Discord and spammed it, and we had to block people.”
He said that led to the no-Bitcoin, no-crypto, no-finance rule.
“I’m not interested in that, and this is a space about the project, not finance stuff,” Steinberger told Friedman. The spam got so bad, Steinberger said he “could barely see people talking about the project because it was like swarms.”
Some users on X tried to dissuade Steinberger from enforcing a strict crackdown on crypto conversations, though their pleading appears to have fallen on deaf ears—at least for now.
Last week, Steinberger joined OpenAI, and announced that OpenClaw would move to a foundation structure.
“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,” Steinberger wrote in a blog post.
Some users on X questioned how Steinberger’s zero-crypto rule squares with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s association with World, which Altman co-founded. Launched in 2023 as Worldcoin, the digital identity network issues a crypto token to users who scan their irises.
While there is no public indication that Steinberger’s Discord policy is connected to OpenAI or to Altman’s involvement with World, his public comments also drew complaints from users who say cryptocurrency is the best use case for AI agents like OpenClaw.
“What are all these AI agents going to make payments with?” one X user asked. “You building open-sourced decentralized networks on Visa rails?”
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Bitcoin has fallen for five consecutive months, dropping below $63,000 again.
The cryptocurrency market continues to be sluggish, with Bitcoin falling below $63,000 and the panic index at an extreme fear level. Global stock markets have declined due to AI and geopolitical risks, while precious metals are favored. Tensions between Trump and Iran have escalated, and new tariff policies have triggered market panic, boosting risk aversion. Analysis indicates that the Bitcoin market needs to restore demand, and liquidity is expected to gradually recover.
TechubNews3m ago
Bitcoin payments are being adopted in real-world scenarios, with Satlantis entering the event ticketing market through the Lightning Network.
February 24 News, Web3 company Satlantis officially launched a Bitcoin-based live event ticketing platform, supporting direct ticket payments via the Lightning Network, while also being compatible with traditional payment methods such as bank cards and cash. This further promotes the practical application of Bitcoin payments in real-world commercial scenarios. The model aims to reduce payment costs and improve settlement efficiency, providing event organizers and crypto users with more flexible payment options.
Unlike traditional ticketing systems that rely on banks and third-party payment processors, Satlantis has built its core architecture on the Lightning Network, enabling near-instant confirmation and extremely low fees for Bitcoin micro-payments. Users can choose Bitcoin payments just like selecting a debit card when purchasing tickets. The built-in Lightning wallet can complete transactions within seconds, significantly optimizing the daily Bitcoin payment experience and the usability of crypto payments.
GateNewsBot3m ago
Satlantis Brings Native BTC Payments to Live Events
Satlantis has launched a ticketing platform enabling BTC payments through the Lightning Network, enhancing everyday Bitcoin utility while allowing fiat transactions. This system reduces fees, speeds up transactions, and attracts crypto users, paving the way for broader real-world Bitcoin adoption.
Coinfomania6m ago
Bitcoin Treasury Company Empery Digital shareholders publicly demand the CEO's resignation and the liquidation of all BTC
Empery Digital's major shareholder Tice P. Brown rejected the management's share buyback proposal, accusing it of being aimed at consolidating the CEO's position rather than protecting shareholders' interests. He demanded that CEO Ryan Lane resign and sell the company's Bitcoin assets to return funds to shareholders. The company currently holds approximately 4,081 Bitcoins, valued at about $258 million.
GateNewsBot7m ago
On-chain NASDAQ 100 largest long positions wrong on three markets: going long NASDAQ and BTC while shorting silver, with unrealized losses approaching $10 million
On February 24th, on-chain whale (0x8af) held positions in US stocks, the crypto market, and precious metals simultaneously, going long on the Nasdaq 100 with $20 million, going long on BTC, and short on silver. Due to market corrections, this address experienced unrealized losses, mainly from a 40x leveraged BTC long position, with losses reaching $13.8 million. Despite the risks, the whale's overall profit remains at $51 million.
GateNewsBot21m ago
Bitcoin drops below $63,000, triggering extreme panic; key support levels face testing
February 24 News, Bitcoin continues to be under pressure amid market "extreme panic" sentiment, with the price once dropping to around $62,700. It then rebounded slightly above $63,000, with a 24-hour decline of over 3%. The overall crypto market also weakened, with the total market capitalization of digital assets falling back to approximately $2.25 trillion. Meanwhile, mainstream assets such as Ethereum, XRP, and Solana have all experienced varying degrees of correction, indicating a significant cooling of risk appetite.
Presto Research analyst Min Jung pointed out that this recent drop below $63,000 for Bitcoin reflects more of a deterioration in market sentiment rather than a single fundamental change. Macroeconomic uncertainties regarding tariffs and rising geopolitical risks have led funds to shift toward safe-haven assets, weakening short-term demand elasticity for crypto assets. The Fear and Greed Index has fallen to 5, in the extreme pessimistic range in history, indicating that market sentiment is approaching a temporary bottom.
GateNewsBot22m ago
