DeFi Protocols Abandon Discord Due to Scammer Threat
Decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols are increasingly abandoning public Discord servers, citing security risks and the platform’s vulnerability to scams. This shift is driven by the growing concern that Discord has become a “hunting ground” for scammers, who target users seeking help and support. Morpho, a major DeFi lending protocol, recently announced that it will be placing its public Discord server in read-only mode, redirecting users to a dedicated help page and chat-based support system.
The decision by Morpho reflects a broader trend in the DeFi community, where protocols are reevaluating their use of Discord due to the high risk of scams and fraud. As Anton Chang noted, “Morpho is closing its public Discord. I didn’t see that coming. This could also be a trend for other protocols – fraud, bot scraping, or just too much noise could be at play.”
Morpho Shuts Down Discord, Citing Scams and Support Risks
Morpho’s decision to shut down its public Discord server is aimed at providing “more secure and reliable support” to its users. According to Paul Frambot, co-founder and CEO of Morpho, “Discord is great, but it’s not designed for user support, and unfortunately, there’s a lot of noise and scams, so it’s become more negative than positive in our view.” Merlin egalite, Morpho’s co-founder, added that despite protections in place, the structure of the platform makes it difficult to fully protect users from direct message scams.
The issue is not unique to Morpho, as other DeFi protocols, such as DefiLlama, have also moved away from Discord. DefiLlama’s pseudonymous founder, 0xngmi, stated that “Discord makes it impossible to protect your users from scams, even if you block scammers immediately, they will still send direct messages to users to scam them.” DefiLlama has opted for a hybrid approach, keeping Discord available behind additional verification steps to limit bots and direct most users to safer support channels.
Fraud, Burnout, and Data Risks Put Discord in the DeFi Spotlight
Industry voices across the ecosystem have expressed similar frustrations with Discord, citing the platform’s vulnerability to scams and the need for more secure and reliable support channels. Richard Rodairos, a talent partner at Dragonfly, described public Discord servers as one of the lowest signal communication surfaces in cryptocurrency today. Marc Zeller, founder of the Aavechan initiative, called Discord “full of scammers” and said Morpho’s move should prompt other major protocols to reconsider their dependence on the platform.
The shift away from Discord has sparked a debate about what is lost when DeFi projects withdraw from open community spaces. While some community members argue that Discord was central to peer-to-peer collaboration, others counter that the problem lies not with Discord itself but with poor execution. Features like disabling direct messages, stronger verification, and on-chain tools can significantly reduce fraud activity when implemented correctly.
The security concerns surrounding Discord have been heightened by recent incidents outside of DeFi, including a breach that exposed sensitive data related to age verification appeals. Cybersecurity researchers claimed that the breach exfiltrated more than two million passport and driving license images, raising broader questions about how user data is processed and stored. As the DeFi community continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see a shift towards more secure and reliable support channels, such as dedicated help pages and chat-based support systems.
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